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
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...
Carson v Makin: From “No Aid” to “No Holds Barred”
In Carson v. Makin, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Maine law that prohibited state funds from being used to teach a religious curriculum in its state voucher program. The...
The Unsustainable Reality of a Car-centric United States
As temperatures continued to rise across the Southwest, imposing heat watches, advisories, and warnings, so did the price at the pumps. Gasoline prices hit a record high of $5 a...
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 MoreEp. 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 MoreEp.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…
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