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.
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EQUITY OFFICE ANNOUNCEMENTS |
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✨Join us for our March EAT Meeting✨
Register here for the March Meeting or just come through!
We are excited to have you for our in-person March EAT meeting on Wednesday, March 27th from 6:00pm to 8:30pm. We'll connect over a meal, and then get our meeting started by 6:30pm.
Meeting Location:
Street-Jones Building
1000 East 11t Street #120, 4th Floor Conference Room 400A
Austin, TX 78702
For March, we will hear about updates on SB4 (keeping in mind this is still in flux and changing), as well as updates on local City projects like the Equity-Based Preservation Plan. We'll also have time for some updates from the Equity Office and other community partners.
Dinner will be provided and we'll have vegan options, too.
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Thank you to those of you that joined our February EAT meeting! We welcomed many new folx to our Equity Action Team (EAT) and asked all participants: "What is one word that describes your intent for being with this group today?" Several themes that stood out were 'Momentum', 'Learn', 'Recenter', 'Community', and 'Hope' among many others. Check out the WordCloud above that captures our EAT members' intents in 1-word. How can the Equity Office continue to support these themes through our EAT in partnership and collaboration with our most impacted communities here in Austin? |
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How do you imagine our EAT Community for 2024 and beyond? We are looking for feedback from our growing EAT network as we move toward developing our collective future together and creating a network/'net that works'. |
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The Austin Women Activists Oral History Project Records is a collaboration between the Briscoe Center and the Department of History. Dr. Laurie Green, University of Texas at Austin Department of History professor, assigned students in her Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Postwar America class to interview women who were politically active in the civil rights, anti-war, and women's liberation movements in the 1960s and 1970s at the University of Texas at Austin and more broadly. Dr. Green worked with Alice Embree and the late Glenn Smith, themselves student activists, to recruit interview subjects during the first semester of the project in fall 2017. The group of subjects continued to grow in future semesters as connections generated leads to additional interviewees. This ongoing project will generate further interviews, which will be added to the collection.
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Feminism-A Graphic Guide by Cathia Jenainati, with illustrations by Judy Groves and Jem Milton
For the month of March, we are celebrating Women's History Month by grounding ourselves in the history of feminism and intersectionality, and the "inseparability of race and gender" through Feminism: A Graphic Guide.
What is feminism? Why are we still talking about it, and what can it tell us about ourselves, our societies, and prejudices? In this unique, illustrated introduction, we'll explore the early history of conscious struggle against sexist oppression, through the modern "waves" of feminism, up to present-day conversations about MeToo, intersectional feminism, and women's rights in the Middle East. We'll look at critical theory, popular action and the social and cultural forces that affect attitudes toward gender, women's lives and the struggle for equality. And we'll hear about the contributions of pioneers like Mary Wollstonecraft, Simone de Beauvoir and Kimberlé Crenshaw. As we'll see, feminism is at once global, local and individual.
Written by Cathia Jenainati with illustrations from Judy Groves and Jem Milton, Feminism: A Graphic Guide engages with the heated debates taking place in our homes, workplaces and public spaces - and the work still to be done. |
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SURVEYS & COMMUNITY INPUT |
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This Five-Year Federal Funding Plan decides how to distribute approximately $14 million in annual grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The public services and programs from this grant address things like affordable housing, job creation, and public service needs for low- and moderate-income families, persons with disabilities, and seniors.
How should federal funding support local housing and public service programs? Submit your input through March 15 at www.SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds
Share your input on how the City should use federal funding for housing & public services:
Paper Survey: Visit your local library to fill out a paper copy of the survey
Text: To receive the survey questions on your mobile device, text MyCommunity to 73224
Phone: 512-974-3155
Mail: 1000 E 11th St, Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78702
Host a conversation or request a meeting to learn more by emailing Julie.Smith@austintexas.gov. Julie Smith can also provide translated promotional content for your community!
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Join the City of Austin's Office of Sustainability for a virtual review the draft goals and strategies to be included in the upcoming Austin-Travis County food plan. We want to hear from you on what we got right, what we missed, and what we can improve upon. Your voice is invaluable in our efforts to create a inclusive and equitable food plan.
This session will be held on Zoom.
Interpretation will be made available in most languages. Select your preferred language when registering for the event or call 512-974-1364 by March 31st.
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The Austin ISD Board of Trustees will be working throughout the spring to develop the district’s Scorecard. This process is done in collaboration with families, staff, students and community members.
Get involved: The board invites students, families, staff and community members from across the district to share their ideas about the district’s vision to one or more of the below engagement opportunities:
What they’re saying: “This is a chance to think big together about what our schools can and should be for Austin ISD students,” said District 2 Trustee, Ofelia Zapata.
“Our schools belong to our community. That’s why the voice and values of the people in our community should inform everything we do,” said District 5 Board Secretary, Lynn Boswell.
Go deeper…with the Austin ISD student performance data at a glance.
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CITY & COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS |
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In the month of March, APL will be celebrating the efforts and accomplishments of women around the world. Join them at one of our many events! |
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BIPOC Pop 2024 will bring together creatives, scholars, and industry leaders working in the comics, gaming, animation, and multimedia arts for 3 days to focus on strengthening community through the sharing of cutting edge creative critical knowledge making in the graphic storytelling arts. Learn more here! |
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Join the Tejano Genealogy Society of Austin on March 9
for a presentation by historians Dr. Andrés Tijerina and Dr. Emilio Zamora on their book “Mexican Americans of Texas, A History of Tradition and Struggle.”
Head to the Carver Genealogy Center from 10 a.m. to noon. and dig into in the history dating from pre-Columbian times to now.
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JOIN THE TEXAS BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE IN CELEBRATING NATIONAL WOMEN AND GIRLS HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY!
The mission of the Texas Black Women’s Initiative (TxBWI) is to promote active, engaged, and empowered communities to address HIV disparity among Black women and other women of color related to HIV prevention and care and to achieve sustainable systemic change.
For more information email: IAMFK23@GMAIL.COM |
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You are invited to Breaking Barriers/ Rompiendo Barreras a- free event dedicated to our young people where our Caminantes, young community artists and cultural activists will facilitate an exploration of the powerful idea of Breaking Barriers. What does that mean to our youth? How can we take care of our mental health and heal from past trauma?
We will use art, community, reflection, mindfulness, poetry, & indigenous healing practices to break down barriers!
Students can earn volunteer credit for attending this free event. This event is open to all teens. Free parking is available on-site.
When: Saturday, March 30 · 10am - 2pm
Where:
Montopolis Recreation and Community Center
1200 Montopolis Drive Austin, TX 78741
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Playdates in the Park is an inclusive, free community event series designed to activate families with young children. Enjoy story time, make crafts, and MOVE AND GROOVE with our friends from Creative Action! Music & Movement sessions are active and designed to inspire creativity, encourage physical and emotional development, and support bonding and connection for parents and children.
Sessions contain singing, beatboxing, guided movement exercises, and end in a dance party for the whole family! Playdates begin at 10 a.m. and end around noon.
Check out movie dates and locations at a park near you here!
Austin Parks Foundation's Movies in the Park is a free series of films in partnership with Rocket Cinema. For over 10 years, APF has brought movies to neighborhood parks across Austin ensuring Austinites of all backgrounds have access to free outdoor entertainment.
100 free bags of popcorn are available at each screening, courtesy of Cornucopia Popcorn.
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Join the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center in partnership with Red Sand Project on Saturday, March 9 and Sunday, March 10 at 1165 Angelina St. for events related to
We Ride for Her a documentary about The Medicine Wheel Riders, a group of Indigenous women motorcyclists who ride to raise awareness for the nationwide crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIW/R).
On Saturday, March 9 at 4:30 p.m., the team behind
We Ride For Her has organized a Red Dress Exhibition, featuring empty red dresses hanging through the lobby of the Carver Museum as a visual representation of the spirits of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2Spirit individuals, inspired by the work of Métis artist Jaime Black. The Red Dress Exhibition will be on display from March 9 through April 6, 2024 at the Carver Museum,
On Sunday, March 10 at 3 p.m., following the film’s premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival, Level Forward will present a conversation at the Carver Museum, ignited by the topics and themes of
We Ride For Her. This event will excavate and amplify the roots of Black, Brown, and Indigenous solidarity as well as uplift the community ownership model deployed by We Ride For Her, centering equity, transparency, and wealth sharing.
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The 2024 Central Texas Regional Summit on Expanding Opportunity will bring together leaders from across the five county Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan area
to explore how we can develop our local workforce through “earn & learn” and other up-skilling programs that help job-seekers connect with local opportunities and our community meet its workforce needs in high-need and high-demand industries. Learn more today! |
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Welcome to "It's a Birthing Thang!"
Austin Public Health’s Maternal Infant Outreach Program (MIOP) invites you to participate as we celebrate Black Maternal Health Week. Whether you're a parent-to-be, birth professional, or birth enthusiast, this event is for you.
Date: Sat Apr 13 2024
Time: 11:30 AM
Location: ACC Eastview Campus, African American Cultural Center
Register for 'It's a Birthing Thang' here!
Black Maternal Health Week is observed yearly, April 11th - 17th. This week highlights efforts and collective work in advancing better maternal, reproductive, and birth outcomes for Black Moms and birthing people. Austin is committed to addressing this maternal health crisis by elevating Black voices and building allyship.
In 2020, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 3 times the rate for White women in the United States. Multiple factors contribute to these disparities, such as lower quality healthcare, structural racism, implicit bias from healthcare providers, and underlying chronic conditions (CDC).
For more information:
Cynthia Washington, Program Coordinator
cynthia.washington@austintexas.gov, (737) 268-6312
https://www.austintexas.gov/department/miop
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Asian Family Support Services in Austin extends a warm invitation to community leaders and experts to join us in sharing their insights and skills, contributing to the success and impact of this conference--Partners in Progress: Disrupting Violence, Building Hope. Together, we strive to create a collaborative space where knowledge and experience converge to enhance our understanding of violence prevention.
PARTners in Progress offers three distinct tracks: Youth Leadership, Community Healing, and Policy. Each track is designed to address specific populations and their roles in collective violence prevention.
If you have a presentation, would like to host a panel discussion, or have another idea for a summit session that fits within one of these three focus areas...
Please submit a proposal by visiting https://e.givesmart.com/events/AsH/page/call-for-proposals/.
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GRANTS | TRAINING | SERVICES |
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CelebrASIA Austin 2024: Call for Applications
Apply by March 10
The AARC is seeking participant applications for its annual CelebrASIA Austin event on Saturday, May 18, 2024, from 11 AM to 3 PM!
The family-friendly festival is free, open to the public, and celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. This indoor/outdoor event offers a variety of performances, food vendors, exhibits, and cultural experiences for the entire family. The festival attracts approximately 1000-1500 attendees.
Applications are due by March 10, 2024, at 11:59 PM. Applicants will be notified of participation no later than March 25, 2024.
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The City of Austin's Economic Development Department (EDD) recently deepened collaboration with Capital IDEA, supporting career pathways in healthcare. This partnership empowers individuals, develops a skilled local workforce, and sees remarkable progress in the Nursing Pilot program, contributing to the local healthcare sector's growth.
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The Enhanced Library Card is a library card for adults (18 or older) that includes your Library Card number, photograph, address, date of birth, the expiration date, and a scannable barcode. The card can be used to check out items from APL's physical collection and/or digital resources, depending on your membership type.
Enhanced Library Cards are available at nine Austin Public Library locations, which include:
- Central Library, 710 W. César Chávez St.
- Cepeda Branch, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Rd.
- Little Walnut Creek Branch, 835 W. Rundberg Ln
- Menchaca Road Branch, 5500 Menchaca Rd.
- Milwood Branch, 12500 Amherst Dr.
- Ruiz Branch, 1600 Grove Blvd.
- St. John Branch, 7500 Blessing Ave.
- Southeast Branch, 5803 Nuckols Crossing Rd.
- Terrazas Branch, 1105 E. César Chávez St.
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