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
Policy Primer: Public Utilities and Public Health
Light and Life: Using the Public Utility Commission of Texas Sunset Review to Safeguard Texans' Health and Wellbeing a primer by Texas Impact sponsored by Methodist Healthcare...
Cyrus Reed on Climate Change and Winter Storm Uri
Cyrus Reed, Ph.D. Conservation Director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, explains the connections between climate change; the failure of the Texas electric grid...
After 2021’s Winter Storm, Grid Uncertainty Continues
In February 2021, the Texas electric grid experienced one of its biggest reliability challenges from the impact of Winter Storm Uri. This storm left millions of Texans without...
Building Back Better: What’s in the Federal Budget Reconciliation Package
Congressional budget committees have concluded their summer work, and are recommending a package of budget measures that would improve conditions for families and communities...
HEAL: A Liturgical Guide on Medicaid Expansion
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Seniors and Hunger
According to the Population Reference Bureau, between 2020 and 2060, the number of older adults is projected to increase by 69 percent, from 56.0 million to 94.7 million. These...
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…
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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…
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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…
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