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
Abortion 1-Pager: The Life of the Mother Matters
HB 1280, Texas’ abortion ban, which the Legislature passed in 2021 and went into effect in August 2022, creates an exception for cases when the pregnancy causes a "life...
Take Action for Reproductive Rights
Image: Rosa Rolanda, Autorretrato 1952Get these bills moving! The following bills have not been scheduled for committee hearings yet. These bills would help to mitigate the...
44: How Did We Get Here? Unpacking the Origins of the Vaccines Controversy
This week we welcome Terri Burke, Executive Director of the Immunization Partnership, to talk about the importance of vaccinations–one of the 10 major advances in public health...
Tell Your Reproductive Rights Story.
Every person has a story. Your story is what you tell someone about an experience you had. It might be short or long; it might be about an experience that made you happy...or it...
If She Had Not Been Pregnant, Would She Have Died?
This week, as millions of Texans prepare to celebrate the birth of a healthy baby to an unwed teen mother of color, the Texas Department of State Health Services finally released...
Reproductive Rights and the Dobbs Decision: History and Context
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that substantially alters the landscape of reproductive health in the United States. As most observers expected, the ruling...
UPCOMING EVENTS
Events
PROGRAMMING
Ep. 420 (Don’t) Forget Paris
This week, we are excited to welcome Texas Impact’s Climate Action Fellow, Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards, to talk about the President’s recent executive action, once again, removing the US from the Paris Climate Agreement. There has been a lot…
Read MoreEp. 419 Reflections from the Celebration of Public Witness for the 89th Legislature
Since 1973, Texas Impact has hosted a service or celebration of public witness on the south steps of the Texas Capitol in conjunction with the opening of the Texas Legislature. This year, the Texas Legislature convened Tuesday, January 14, and so the…
Read MoreEp. 418 New Year, New Resolve
We hope you all had a meaningful and relaxing holiday season and a great start to the new year; it is about to get busy and your advocacy will be critical in the next few months. We know a lot of attention will be paid to what is happening in…
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