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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 October EAT Meeting✨
Register here for the October Meeting or just come through!
Saturday, October 19th from 10:30am to 1:30pm
The October EAT will be an opportunity to:
October's EAT Meeting will be at:
Virginia Brown Recreation Center
Conference Room B
7500 Blessing Ave.
Austin, TX 78752
🍽️ Brunch will be provided and there will be vegan options.
💧Please bring your reusable water bottle so that we can reduce waste.
🫱🏽🫲🏿We look forward to being in community with you!
As always, you can reach out to the Equity Office at our team email: equity@austintexas.gov and we'll answer your questions or find someone who can answer them!
With gratitude for our amazing EAT,
-Natalie Hulsey, Equity Office Public Information Specialist, Sr. and the Equity Office team |
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The FY 25 finalized City of Austin Budget will be released on October 1st. You can keep up with all things budget by visiting the 2024-2025 Budget Public Input site here. The JIC wants to hear from you about your experience with the budget, and what services, programs, and needs your community has. Even though FY25 budget was just passed, it's important to understand what was funded and what was not funded to better plan for FY26.
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As Hispanic-Latino heritage month comes to a close, and we reflect on Indigenous People's Day, we wanted to share some history and also some of the present.
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Check out EAT Member Book Recommendations!
We asked all of you about your favorite book at our September EAT meeting and why it was your favorite. We heard so many great responses and wanted to share it out with the full EAT. Enjoy! Let us know if you enjoyed any of these reads or if you would like to recommend a book to the EAT. Many of these books you can check out at the Austin Public Library, or venture out and visit some of our local books stores like Black Pearl Books, Red Salmon Arts/Casa de Resistencia Books, and Book Woman.
We'll keep this list until the next newsletter and will start fresh with new reading recommendations on November 1st. Happy reading!
We apologize if we missed your book recommendation--email us so we can share it out! equity@austintexas.gov
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SURVEYS & COMMUNITY INPUT |
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- INTERESTED IN JOINING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (AALI) 2025 FELLOWSHIP COHORT? Are you ready to take the next step in your leadership journey and make a lasting impact in your community? The African American Leadership Institute's 2025 Fellowship Cohort is now accepting interest forms! This transformative program is designed to empower and equip leaders with the tools they need to drive change across Central Texas. By submitting an interest form, you’ll be the first to receive updates, key dates, and more information about how this Fellowship can help you grow as a leader.
- YOUR FEEDBACK WILL HELP US EMPOWER FATHERS | DAD NEEDS ASSESSMENT: ManinMe is conducting a Dad's Needs Assessment. If you're a father with parenting responsibilities, your participation in this survey is essential. Fill out the assessment here. Questions or want to learn more? Contact ManinMe at 737-336-0702 or email them at info@maninme.org
- CALL FOR FIREFIGHTERS', POLICE OFFICERS' AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL'S CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION APPLICATIONS: The City of Austin is seeking applications from qualified individuals to serve on the three member City of Austin Firefighters’, Police Officers’, and Emergency Medical Services Personnel’s Civil Service Commission. The opening is to fill a three-year term beginning November 1, 2024, and ending October 31, 2027. The time commitment for Commission business is anticipated at 1 - 3 hours a month. Commissioners serve on a voluntary basis. Interested applicants may complete a City of Austin Boards and Commissions application online at https://austintexas.granicus.com/boards/forms/385/apply. Please include a resume and cover letter with your application. This position will remain open until filled. Questions: Contact the Office of the City Clerk at bc@austintexas.gov Apply online!
- SUSTAINABILITY SALON AT DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER: The Dougherty Arts Center wants to hear from you! On Saturday, October 26, 2024, the DAC will host a community engagement event to gather valuable feedback on eco-friendly practices. Share your knowledge and curiosity about sustainable art practices and how artists can contribute to a healthier planet. Swap art supplies, make seed balls, paint, and enjoy hot cocoa while engaging in meaningful conversations about sustainability. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged but not required. RSVP here.
- CAPMETRO TRANSIT PLAN 2035 COMMUNITY FEEDBACK: Fill out this survey if you--live in Central Texas (not just for Austinites); want to help your community; do OR do not take public transportation; want to possibly win a $100 H-E-B gift card! Tell them you heard about the survey from 'Community Connector Samantha' so she can win a friendly competition with the other organizers 😉 Questions? Email transitplan2035@capmetro.org
- GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE CONGRESS AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS BETWEEN CESAR CHAVEZ AND 11TH STREET: The City of Austin is asking for feedback from the community on changes that are proposed for Congress Avenue. The affected areas will be Congress Avenue between Cesar Chavez and 11th Street, including a plaza north of Seventh Street. The Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative (CAUDI) envisions Congress Ave as a more human centered and multimodal complete street. Blocks between Seventh Street and 11th Street will be converted to public plazas in alignment with the CAUDI Vision Plan and community input. Community members have 2 opportunities to give input, and there is an online survey: Tuesday, Oct. 22nd from 4pm-7pm at the Downtown Austin Space Activation (506 Congress Ave), and on October 26th from 10am to 1pm at the Downtown Austin Space Activation (506 Congress Ave). Learn more here.
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CITY & COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS |
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Join the City and the League of Women Voters Austin Area for live panels in September and October to meet the 2024 Austin City Council and Mayoral candidates. Attend in-person or watch live on www.ATXN.tv and KAZI FM 88.7 to hear directly from the candidates and make informed decisions. For more details, visit Voter Resources or call 3-1-1. |
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The Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan is Austin’s 30-year community-driven plan for our future changes and development. But what can we learn from our past and our peers to make sure the plan evolves with our city? Join the next edition of the Imagine Austin Speaker Series to hear experts from Dallas, Denver, D.C., and Raleigh share their insights!
El plan integral
Imagine Austin es un plan a 30 años, impulsado por la comunidad de Austin para nuestros cambios y desarrollo futuro. ¿Pero qué podemos aprender de nuestro pasado y de nuestros colegas para asegurar que el plan evolucione con nuestra ciudad?
¡Únase a la próxima edición de la serie de oradores de
Imagine Austin para escuchar a expertos de Dallas, Denver, DC, y Raleigh compartir sus ideas!
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Leg•a•cy Busi•ness
noun || 1. A beloved local establishment open for 20 years or more that anchors a community and epitomizes classic cool.
From iconic music venues to Tex-Mex staples, legacy businesses are essential to Austin's culture. Throughout October, visit participating businesses, show your support with a purchase, get your passport stamped, and win awesome prizes. It’s time to grab your passports and hit the town!
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Kiss Papercuts Goodbye: Family Saturday at the AARC
October 19, 2024 from 11am to 1pm
Sign up for the event here!
Join the Asian American Resource Center (AARC) on Saturday, October 19th from 11am-1pm for a day of FREE family-friendly artmaking and storytelling activities based on Kelly Lan’s Kiss Papercuts Goodbye exhibit and book, currently on-view at the AARC. Learn about the history and influence of Asian/Asian American figures like Hazel Lee, Anandi Gopal Joshi, and Pasty Takemoto Mink, while making your own crafts with guided materials provided.
Bonus: Dress up as your favorite Asian/Asian American Historical Figure or Hero for a chance to win some raffle goodies during the event!
Light refreshments will be provided. This event is free, but space is limited and registration is required.
Sign up to volunteer!
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Community Connections Resource Fair
Austin Energy's annual Community Connections Resource Fair is a free, family-friendly event that combines fun with learning to assist our customers who sometimes could use a little help to meet basic needs.
Local service providers and City departments host this annual event. You can expect fun and informative demonstrations and presentations on community assistance resources available for moderate-to-low-income families in the Austin area.
Date: Saturday, October 26, 2024
Time: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Location: Akins High School |
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It’s My Park Day is Austin Parks Foundation’s biannual, community-led day of service occurring every Spring and Fall.
Volunteers work in parks and green spaces all across the city on projects such as litter cleanup, tree mulching, invasive species management, riparian zone restoration, trail management, and more. It’s My Park Day is a great way to build community, foster relationships, and connect with other park lovers.
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Dia de Los Muertos & MexAmeriCon!
Dia de los Muertos & Mexamericon
When: Saturday, November 2, 2:00-8:00pm
Where: Oswaldo AB Cantu Pan American Park
2100 East 3rd Street, Austin Texas 78702
Get ready for our biggest event of the year! Celebrate Day of the Dead/ Dia de los Muertos in East Austin. Guests can enjoy live music and dance performances, hands-on children’s activities, art activations, vendors, food trucks, and a collective community altar.
We are happy to partner with MexAmeriCon to bring you Austin’s own Mexican-American Comic-Con! The events are held together, both are 2-8pm at the Pan Am Park, and are free and open to the public
The event will feature art installations by Las Piñatas ATX!
VENDORS- Would you like to sell artwork, goods, or food? Please fill out this form. All food trucks will be asked for a photo of their up-to-date Travis Co/Austin Public health permit.
NON-PROFITS- To sign up to have an information table for your non-profit organization, fill out this form.
Headliner: The Tiarras! We are happy to announce The Tiarras as our headliner for Day of the Dead/ MexAmeriCon! Austin’s favorite 3-sister band will be taking the Pan Am Stage!
Check out the Tiarras’ music and get ready to dance!
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Virtual Session: November 9th | 11am – 2:30pm
In-Person Networking Event: Nov 16th | 11am -2pm
Stipends for Teen Moms / Parenting Youth Available: For those needing to find childcare or similar to attend event. Limited funds available. Please request Childcare Stipend form!
Arriba Las Mujeres believes in building a network of civically engaged Latina women in Texas through an immersive personal development and leadership training program. We invest in empowering women to harness their creativity and leadership skills to become powerful professionals in their communities.
This is a virtual professional development and leadership program open to young Latina women and people who self-identify as women, who are preferably between 16-26 years old, across Texas. Arriba Las Mujeres gives young women the opportunity to engage Jolt Initiative’s advocacy.At the end of the program, all participants will have the opportunity to meet and network in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio with members of other organizations across the state that are working directly on the issues impacting the Latino community. |
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The Office of Police Oversight (OPO) will host its quarterly Police Oversight Implementation Workgroup meeting on November 14, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. We invite community members to attend
for an overview of quarterly complaints data, as mandated by Resolution 99.
The meeting is open to the public and will be hosted at the
Cepeda Branch Library, located at 651 N. Pleasant Valley Rd, Austin, TX 78702.
Accessibility and Accommodation Information: The event will be presented in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language (ASL). Additional interpretation services and accessibility accommodations are available upon request.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email OPO.Outreach@AustinTexas.gov
or call (512) 974-9090
RSVP here for the November 14 OPO meeting
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GRANTS | TRAINING | SERVICES |
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Tools for Success
Get ready for this month with amazing TFS workshops! We've got a fantastic lineup of topics that will empower families and help them thrive.
Tools for Success (TFS)
is a series of virtual educational sessions for families to learn about the various services and programs offered in Austin ISD. Sessions are presented by subject matter experts in those topics.
Please help us to spread the word to more families and community and let's make this October a success!Everyone is welcome 🙂
Access session links on our district calendar HERE
SAVE THE DATE for TFS Live!! November 19th
Interpretation services in languages other than English and Spanish available with 72-hour notice. The workshops will be recorded.
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Estimados compañeros de Austin ISD, amigos y miembros de la comunidad,
¡Prepárense para un mes lleno de increíbles talleres de TFS! Tenemos una gran selección de temas que enriquecerán a las familias y les ayudarán a crecer.
Herramientas para el Éxito (TFS)
es una serie de sesiones educativas virtuales para que las familias conozcan los diversos servicios y programas que ofrece Austin ISD. Las sesiones son presentadas por expertos en la materia.
¡Por favor ayúdenos a pasar la voz a mas familias y comunidad y hagamos este mes de octubre todo un éxito!
¡Todos son bienvenidos! 🙂Aquí está el volante en inglés y español. Gráficos para redes sociales AQUÍVisite el calendario de nuestro distrito AQUÍ para acceder directamente a los enlaces de las sesiones.
¡Marquen sus calendarios para el evento Herramientas para el éxito en VIVO! 19 de Noviembre.
Volantes y mas información muy prontoLos servicios de interpretación en otros idiomas que no sean inglés y español están disponibles con un aviso de 72 horas.Los talleres serán grabados. |
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Do you want to be the first Austin Poet Laureate?
First-ever Austin Poet Laureate Program Now Accepting Applications
The Austin Poet Laureate Program is now accepting applications from local poets interested in becoming Austin’s first-ever Poet Laureate. Applications are open from October 1, 2024 through November 30, 2024. The selected Austin Poet Laureate will be announced in April 2025 and will serve a two-year term from April 2025 until April 2027.
The application portal is available at the Austin Poet Laureate Program’s page on the Austin Public Library website: library.austintexas.gov/poet
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Convocatoria abierta para el primer programa de Poetas Laureados de Austin
El Programa de Poetas Laureados de Austin tiene la convocatoria abierta para aquellos poetas locales interesados en convertirse en el primer Poeta Laureado de Austin. Las solicitudes están abiertas desde el 1 de octubre de 2024 hasta el 30 de noviembre de 2024. El Poeta Laureado de Austin seleccionado se anunciará en abril de 2025 y cumplirá un mandato de dos años desde abril de 2025 hasta abril de 2027.
El portal de solicitud está disponible en la página del Programa de Poetas Laureados de Austin en el sitio web de la Biblioteca Pública de Austin: library.austintexas.gov/poet
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The AARC’s Community Exhibits Program displays year-round exhibitions that celebrate the diverse and dynamic cultural heritage, history, identity and creativity of Asian American and Pacific Islanders. The AARC's Community Exhibits Program invites artists and curators based in Central Texas to submit a proposal for exhibits for our 2025-2026 Exhibit Calendars. The AARC’s Community Exhibits Program aims to foster and promote exhibits that embody the AARC's mission, vision, and values to create spaces of belonging and healing for Asian American communities in Austin and beyond.
Selected Artists and Curators will be provided with support to showcase their work and research, with access to AARC exhibiting spaces, facilities, funded community outreach/professional development opportunities, marketing and other resources.
The application will open on Monday, October 7, 2024. The deadline to apply is January 12, 2025 at 11:59pm.
If you have any questions or need assistance with the application, please email AARC@AustinTexas.gov. The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact (512) 974-3914 or Relay Texas 7-1-1.
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Are you a High School junior or senior looking to gain leadership skills, engage in networking opportunities with local Asian American community leaders, or simply want to give back to the community? Are you a professional with intimate understanding of Asian American history and culture and want to pass on your perspective and expertise to the younger generation? Apply for the AARC’s mentorship program for teens! Forward to any motivated high school students you know. Learn more about who is eligible, program requirements, and how to apply on our
Applications due by October 31st.
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- San Jose I: Saturday, October 26th, meet at 703 Small Kemp, 8am to 1pm
- San Jose II: Sunday, October 27th, meet at 8101 Posten Ln, 8am to 1pm
Click here for more details!
Please share and come participate. |
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