ECONOMIC JUSTICE
Economic justice refers to the way we design the systems through which each person earns a living; enters into contracts; exchanges goods and services with others; and otherwise produces a material foundation for their physical sustenance. Economic justice is the area of public policy where tension between “charity” and “justice is most often apparent. The world’s faith communities share deep commitment both to the charitable alleviation of suffering stemming from imperfect economic systems, and to policy advocacy for realignment of those systems to achieve justice.
EDUCATION
People of faith continue to be essential advocates for an adequate and equitable system of public education so that every child has the opportunity to fulfill their human potential.
HEALTH
Some health outcomes have genetic origins, but to the extent health-promoting and disease-preventing conditions and services are available to some people in the community, they should be available equitably.
POVERTY
In 2020, Texas’ overall poverty rate was 13.6%, placing the state 40th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 3. 8 million Texans were poor in 2020. White Texans experience poverty at a far lower rate than other groups: 18.7% of Latino Texans, 18.6% of African American Texans, 15.1% of Native American Texans, and 9.2% of Asian American Texans were poor in 2020, compared to 8.0% of White Texans.
NEWS + UPDATES
“If Mama Ain’t Healthy”: Health Inequity and Maternal Mortality
Following childbirth, it is common to experience fatigue and discomfort—but for some new moms, complications can be more severe. New moms can lack the information they would need...
The Sum of the Parts: Social Determinants of Health
Your health and well-being are not merely outcomes of what happens in the doctor’s office – they are impacted by the world around you. The place you work, the neighborhood you...
Health Equity: A Broader Lens for Health Policy
Much of the health policy debate in the US over the past 40 years has centered on access to health care, and particularly how individuals gain access to health care through...
Health Action for Climate/Climate Action for Health
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report calling for policies to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius has been getting the lion’s share of...
Building a Spirit of Solidarity
In the poignant yet hopeful panel discussion “building a spirit of solidarity to overcome climate crisis” faith leaders from around the world urged us to pursue a higher...
Debunking Myths About the Energy Transition
“A transition to green energy would cost thousands of jobs. It’d be expensive. It just doesn’t make sense.” It’s a narrative that’s been pushed for decades; it’s the last stand...
UPCOMING EVENTS
Events
PROGRAMMING
Ep. 415 COP and Go: Updates from the Global Climate Summit
This week we turn our attention to the other side of the globe as we welcome Texas Impact’s Climate Action Fellow, Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards to the program. Becca recently returned from the 29th UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP), the global…
Read More
Ep. 414 Turn, Turn, Turn
Well… we had an election… and we know folks have lots of feelings, and we are going to talk about feelings today. But, in addition to that, we are going to talk about how the election impacts Texas, and we are going to talk about what Texans of…
Read More
Ep.413 Every Day: Civility and Compassion for Community
Election day is almost upon us! You have heard us talk for years about Texas’ low voter turnout and how that impacts public policy. If you are listening to this before election day, you have a chance to do something about that. Many of us are…
Read More