The Equity Action Team (EAT) is a coalition of community members and City of Austin staff focused on advancing racial equity in our communities through partnerships with City departments, non-profits, philanthropic entities and community-based groups. The EAT meetings are dedicated to critical discussions and strategizing on how to best improve the quality of life for most directly impacted communities in Austin. Join the EAT and find more information on the dashboard.

 

Everyone is welcome to join the EAT! As a member, your responsibility is to attend and bring your community with you. During our meetings, we hear from community members and City staff to understand community needs and City projects and work together to produce better outcomes for all.
EQUITY OFFICE ANNOUNCEMENTS
✨Save the Date for our April EAT Meeting!✨ 

 

We are excited to have you for our April EAT meeting! We are trying out a new evening meeting time, please feel free to send us feedback on what meeting time works best for you for future meetings. 

 

This meeting will focus on the Austin Transit Partnership Light Rail Options, with a presentation from Project Connect. We'll hear other updates from community and, as always, connect over catered food.

 

This is a great time to bring in new EAT members. Hope to see you and your community there!
The Equity Office is Hiring!
Our office is currently hiring for three positions! See the below links for specific job descriptions and application access:
Join us for a Citizenship Clinic on April 22!
The Equity Office and the Asian American Resource Center are partnering with NALEO, American Gateways, and Texas AFL-CIO to host a citizenship clinic On April 22 at the Asian American Resource Center. The first 50 participants will receive free one-on-one assistance to complete the N400 citizenship application. Registration will take place from 9-10am the morning of April 22. Please plan on attending an informational session on either April 15 or April 20 prior to the clinic. See our landing page to learn more!
 
Cost of Dispossession Website is Live
The Austin City Council commissioned “...a report outlining the economic value of the direct, indirect, intentional, and unintentional harm caused through economic, health, environmental, criminal injustice, and other racial disparities and declination of resources by the City” (Resolution 20210304-067, pg. 6). The Equity Office has partnered with a research team from UT-Austin team led by Dr. Edmund Gordon to quantify the cost of Black dispossession due to City policies such as the 1928 Master Plan. We estimate the value of Black land lost from the Black communities outside of East Austin through City policies associated with the 1928 Plan to be in excess of $290 million. Check out the website to learn more. 
 
What We're Reading 
Densifying Berkeley: Potential Impacts on Displacement and Equity is a 2022 report authored by the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project asks whether upzoning can be deployed to equitably distribute housing to the people who need it most without simultaneously increasing the risk of displacement in those communities. 
 
The Vatican repudiates the "Doctrine of Discovery" which established a religious, political, and legal justification for colonization and seizure of land not inhabited by Christians. The Doctrine was developed through a series of papal bulls, or decrees, dating back as early at 1452.
LEARNING FROM HISTORY
Kincheonville was a freedom community established by Thomas and Mary Kincheon in June of 1865. The couple were successful farmers who produced milk and butter for Tillotson College. Kincheonville is located in Southwest Austin, bordered by present Paisano Trail on the north, Davis Lane on the south, Brodie Lane on the west, and Longview Road on the East.  While the 1928 Master Plan forced many Black residents of Kincheonville to East Austin, the Kincheon family managed to maintain ownership of the land until 1952. It was at this time Thomas Kincheon II and his family successfully developed Kincheon Subdivision No.1 and No.2 before moving to East Austin in the early1960s.
[Kincheon Family with Their Car]. Circa 1910, PICB-13454, Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.
CITY & COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

Share Your Thoughts on the Virtual Light Rail Open House!

The Austin Transit Partnership recently release five options for the first phase of Austin's light rail system. View the Virtual Open House and share your comments before May 2, 2023!

 

Apply to be a Displacement Prevention Navigator!

The Displacement Prevention Navigator Pilot Program aims to help people stay in their homes with assistance from paid Navigators, people recruited from local communities. Acting as a bridge between communities and resource providers, Navigators will help renters and homeowners to learn about and access housing resources from the City and other organizations. Navigators will be paid $25 per hour for the year-long program. Training in summer 2023 will take approximately 6 hours/week. Outreach and assistance will take 10-15 hours/week from fall 2023 through May 2024. Apply here to be a Navigator by April 30, 2023: www.bit.ly/ATXnav 

 

Latinx Mental Health Toolkit Community Feedback Session on April 13

The Community Advancement Network's (CAN) Language Access Action Team and Community Council are working together on a Language Access Project for Mental Health and Wellness. The project focuses on spreading awareness about mental health resources in our community and destigmatizing seeking mental health services. Join CAN on April 13  from 2-3:30PM for a  community feedback session on a mental health toolkit for Spanish-speaking people in Austin that they have been developing. Reserve a spot today!

 

BIRTHING JUSTICE Screening Hosted by MIOP on April 15

BIRTHING JUSTICE is a feature length documentary whose purpose is two-fold: to discuss issues fueling the maternal health crisis within the African American community and to advocate for best practices to enhance birthing equity for all women, especially Black women. This is free screening is hosted by Austin Public Health's Maternal Infant Outreach Program. Reserve your free ticket here!

 

Check out the April Re-Entry Roundtable Newsletter!

The Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable works to promote a community that values and supports equity for formerly incarcerated persons and individuals with justice involvement. This month's newsletter highlights a few great community events including The Second Chance Symposium held on Saturday, April 22 10AM-2:30PM at the R.A.R.E. Academy, 1212 E. Anderson Lane Suite 300 #7, Austin, TX 78752.

 

Tax Day is April 18th! Get Support with Foundation Communities 

Each year, Foundation Communities provide free tax preparation services to individuals and families with low to moderate incomes. Families with low to moderate incomes can receive up to $6,935 in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and up to $2,000 per child in the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Working singles and married couples without children could receive as much as $560 through the EITC. Eligible workers, who have not yet filed a 2021 tax return, could receive even more money when they file a tax return – up to $1,500. People don't need to earn much money to get CTC or EITC, but they do need to file a tax return to receive these credits. Visit ProsperTaxHelp.org or call 211 to schedule your free tax appointment. 

 

Legal Fair on April 29 hosted by Asian Family Support Services of Austin 

Come and learn about your rights and speak to family and immigrant attorneys. The first portion of the legal fair will have attorneys giving presentations about various topics related to family law, immigration law and protective orders. The second portion of the fair will allow for attendees to speak with multiple legal resources who will be holding information booths. 
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
The City of Austin Human Resources Department will host the 12th Annual City of Austin Career Expo on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Mark your calendars for our upcoming in-person hiring event.  
 

BASTA is a team of tenants, organizers, attorneys, and paralegals working to create a future where all Austinites have access to healthy and affordable housing. We are always look for talented and passionate folks to join our team!

 

 Love the outdoors? Join Earth Native Team to help people build lifelong connections to nature and wild places. They are hiring a Director of Programs, Youth Program Instructors and other Summer Camp support positions!
 
Join the team at Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) to help prove dynamic, proactive leadership that engages policymakers and the community to end homelessness. 
 
Grassroots Leadership is a nationally recognized civil and human rights organization based in Austin and Houston fighting to end prison profiteering and reduce reliance on criminalization through direct action, organization, research and education. 
 
Leadership Austin is driven by our passion to develop transformational leaders in Greater Austin. We are mission-driven and a little quirky. We learn every day. We laugh every day. 
At Sustainable Food Center, we are passionate about our work and share a commitment to expanding access to locally grown food raised with integrity and care.
 
The mission of Waterloo Greenway Conservancy is bold, forward-thinking, and even a touch audacious — just like the team that upholds it every day. We’re collectively bound by the knowledge that Waterloo Greenway is making real and enduring change in the unbelievable city we call home. 
 
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