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
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...
Austin Starbucks Makes Union History
A local Austin Starbucks made history last Friday by becoming the first Starbucks in the Lone Star State to unionize. The 45th and Lamar location officially won unionization by...
Remember Medicaid?
Remember Medicaid? Back in the distant, misted past of 2019, access to affordable health insurance was a constant legislative campaign, with Texas Impact and our partners in the...
Starting the Conversation on COVID and Vaccine Hesitancy
We were thrilled to host two conversations with Dr. Julie Boom, director of Texas Children's Hospital's Immunization Project, on COVID and vaccine hesitancy. Here's Dr. Boom's...
COVID and Faith: Prayers for Community Health
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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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