Recent Articles
Civic Engagement
Unclenched Hands
This weekend, I spent some time in the Texas Hill Country at the MoRanch Women’s Conference, talking with my (mostly) Presbyterian sisters about how people of faith can be effective advocates for justice in the current political climate. It was amazing to be...
Show Us the Money
Early voting is underway for May 24 runoffs. History shows how one primary race for a state house seat can create a political tsunami for the entire legislature. Voters, however, are often frustrated at the difficulty of learning about “down-ballot races.” In...
No One is Coming to Save Us But Us
The “fundamental right” to privacy affects not just the right to an abortion, but the right to contraception and LGBTQ equality. If the Supreme Court of the United States overturns Roe v. Wade, then many other rights that may seem unrelated are at risk. No matter what...
Climate Justice
Pipeline Safety Agency In Process of Updating Pipeline Rules
Yesterday I pulled up to the curb in front of a music studio where one of my children takes guitar lessons and noticed for the first time a sign posted in the grass in front of the building that indicated the presence of a gas pipeline under the property. I noticed...
Why Does Texas Railroad Commission Oppose EPA Methane Rule?
While Texas Impact staff were in Dubai at COP28 we celebrated the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement of new, strong methane rules. As a reminder, the new methane rule requires oil and gas producers to stop methane leaks from their...
New Lunch and Learn Series Blends Scientific and Theological Education
What does the electromagnetic spectrum have to do with the Gospel? What does the West Antarctic Ice Sheet have to do with liberation theology? What does international climate finance have to do with the Greatest Commandment? At first glance it seems like physics,...
Economic Justice
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 Court extended a doctrinal line of cases regarding “discrimination against religion.” 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 gallon this weekend, harming the pockets of those who rely on cars to commute. The U.S. is...
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 a 10-1 vote, securing a historic victory for the Texas labor movement. This location is...
Human Rights
SB4 Reality: “Stuck Against Competing Interests Between the State and Government”
The U.S. Department of Justice and the ACLU Texas have filed lawsuits against SB4. The ACLU TX and Texas Civil Rights Project also filed a motion for preliminary injunction to stop SB4 from taking effect on March 5, 2024. The preliminary injunction hearing was...
FAITH COMMUNITIES: HEED YOUR CALL TO EQUIP FOR SB4
After a year of managing our Courts & Ports Faithful Witness immersive program in the Rio Grande Valley, a common question that never failed to be asked was, “what can we do to help?” Today, I have a concrete answer. Right now, it is essential that faith...
BORDER VIGIL HELD UNDER SURVEILLANCE OF OPERATION LONE STAR
Have you ever had to ask Texas Army National Guard Soldiers permission to enter a public park so that you can have the liberty to hold a vigil, pray, and sing worship songs in a public outdoor space? Last weekend, I was in Shelby Park in the city of Eagle Pass...