Write your reps! Trump’s unconstitutional call to delay elections

On July 30, Trump tweeted, “Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???” Trump does not have the power to delay elections. He is trying to distract people from abysmal economic numbers and the funeral of voting rights legend Rep. John Lewis. However, Trump’s suggestion is still incredibly dangerous because it undermines …

Tell Austin City Council: Defund the Police by $100 million

Austinites: Were you aware that 40% of the City of Austin budget for fiscal year 2020 was devoted to the Austin Police Department, while less than 8% was devoted to public health? Do you agree with these budget priorities? If not, here’s your chance to give your two cents on budget priorities for 2021. Please …

How to support Austin #BlackLivesMatter protesters

Not everyone can put their bodies on the line—especially during a pandemic. Below is a list of ways you can show your support from home. Many of these links were pulled from this list, which also covers other Texas cities. We’ll update as frequently as possible. GoFundMe for Mike Ramos The mother of Mike Ramos, …

Black Austin Rally & March For Black Lives #JusticeForThemAll

This Sunday, June 7 2020 we are joining as allies in the support of Black Austin, Black Lives Matter, and JUSTICE! All are invited to a peaceful protest that will center this moment around Black voices, Black stories, and most importantly Black solutions. Event Details WHAT: Black Austin Rally & March For Black Lives #JusticeForThemAll …

Roundup of statements from Central Texas reps on Trump’s incitement of violence against Rep. Ilhan Omar

In a clear incitement of racist violence, the president tweeted a video that intercuts four words spoken by Rep. Ilhan Omar with graphic footage from 9/11. Our representatives—and presidential candidates—should all condemn the president’s latest Islamophobic demagoguery. Democratic representatives need to make clear that the Congresswoman has the party’s support. Presidential candidates should issue statements …

Take Action at #txlege: Week of Feb. 25

Bills are being referred to committees, and hearings are getting underway, especially in the House. Here are some bills and hearings of interest this week. Be sure to jump down for our weekly feature on Public Education bills, too. There are also many lobby days and rallies over the next several weeks. You can view …

Indivisible Austin Joins Call to Block David Whitley’s Nomination

Today Indivisible Austin joined more than 30 groups in calling for the Texas Senate Democrats to block Secretary of State nominee David Whitley’s confirmation. “We, the undersigned Texas organizations, call on you to affirmatively block the confirmation of David Whitley for Texas Secretary of State. In the two months since Governor Greg Abbott appointed Mr. …

Open Letter from ADAPT of Texas to Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton

Reposted with permission from ADAPT of Texas Dear Governor Abbott and Atty General Paxton: ADAPT of Texas is concerned about the lawsuit you are leading that, if successful, will rule that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional. The ACA has significantly improved health care in the state of Texas. These improvements include several aspects …

Get to Know: Workers Defense Project

This is the first in a regular series of blogs spotlighting organizations tackling major issues in Central Texas. Guest post from Workers Defense Project: Workers Defense Project (WDP) is a membership-based organization that empowers low-income workers to achieve fair employment through education, direct services, organizing and strategic partnerships. WDP was founded in August 2002 by employees and …

One simple Twitter trick to help our vision-impaired friends

People with vision impairment sometimes use screen-reading software to help them navigate the web.  The software dictates audio based upon what’s on the screen. This works best when the information is text-based, and when it’s organized well. Unfortunately, not all webpages fit this description. Images, especially, are hard to parse with a screen reader. It’s long …