Austin Interfaith Victory Pages A newsletter on the successes of Austin Interfaith member institutions March 18, 2011 · Pre-Kindergarten Saved: Even though state funding was dropped from all day Pre-Kindergarten, it was spared from being cut from the AISD budget. Pre-Kindergarten is an issue priority for Austin Interfaith and leaders began meeting with the Superintendent months ago on this issue. · Dove Springs Clinic Expansion: Last month the board of the Central Health District voted to expand the clinic on William Cannon & I-35. The $800,000 expansion will help serve the many underserved residents of southeast Austin from an urgent triage clinic to medical home. Austin Interfaith has worked for the expansion of basic services in Dove Springs. · Innovation Grant Progress: Leaders working on the Innovation School initiative asked AISD School Board Trustees to ratify a fair In-District (or Campus) Charter Policy that makes a way for public schools to petition the district make change at the campus level. At a board meeting earlier this year the trustees ratified the new policy. Since then leaders have met with the Superintendent and her senior cabinet to discuss the initiative. House Meetings Progress: Since the start of the new-year Austin Interfaith leaders have held 120 house meetings with approximately 1000 people. Through these small group conversations leaders have identified more local issues, ranging from anxieties around school closures, job loss, issues facing immigrant families, and neighborhood safety. All member institutions are encouraged to do events with house meetings through March. House meetings are one of the key elements for organizing. Education Organizing: On Wednesday, February 09, 2011 over 140 parents, teachers and community members from several schools, congregations, and neighborhood associations from the south side met at Travis Heights Elementary. The purpose of the meeting was to bring together a broad constituency that supports adequate funding for public schools and values neighborhood schools. After a briefing about both the budget decisions made, thus far, by the AISD school board and alternative proposals leaders gathered in small groups to hold conversations about how the proposed cuts affected their children and their families. They also began conversations about what they were willing to do in order to ensure that the schools and the students received the adequate funding necessary for an effective public school system. Senator Kirk Watson’s aide on education attended the meeting. Neighborhood Safety in Dove Springs: Austin Interfaith leaders in Southeast Austin / “Dove Springs” held a meeting on Thursday, February 3, with l00 people at Widen Elementary School. The community shared how criminal activity occurring on their streets, in parks and fear of being victimized again. Austin Interfaith leaders, Pastors, residents, school staff, Commander Pedraza, PCT 4 Constable Canchola, Ms. Santana of Rep. Rodriguez’s office, and several City of Austin departments: Parks/Recreation, Austin Public Library, APD Gang Prevention, Neighborhood Planning and Development were in attendance. Principal Kim Royal proposed to the community and guests a “No Excuse” contract that ask everyone present to commit to work together to rebuild and reclaim our neighborhood. Everyone present signed the commitment. NEXT STEPS · Austin Interfaith Leaders Meeting, Thurs., March 24 at 7:00 pm. Location: Cristo Rey Catholic Church · Austin Interfaith Spring Accountability Session, Sunday, April 10 at 7:00pm. Location TBA

50 leaders from Catholic parishes throughout Austin gathered at Dolores Catholic Church for a half-day of intensive leadership training.

Spanish-speaking Austin Interfaith leaders collaborated with Gil Leija, Director of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese, to conduct the session and support leadership among immigrants and Spanish-speakers in Catholic churches.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church's social justice ministry has recently completed a house meeting campaign at their church and St. Catherine of Sienna Church's Community Concerns and Advocacy group is beginning house meetings around health care issues in their parish community. New member Congregation Kol Halev has begun an individual meeting campaign, and institutions such as San Jose, Dolores, and St. Ignatius are using the summer months for individual meeting campaigns as well.

These are the conversations that make it possible to know the people in our communities, stay in tune with the pressures that regular Austinites are facing, and ground plans for action to address them.

When a popular and highly utilized early voting location at the HEB on South Congress and Oltorf was unexpectedly moved, southside leaders organized to work with County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir, HEB employees, the media, and member institutions to minimize the negative effect on voter turnout at this location. They helped publicize the new early voting location and, as a result, increased turnout at the new location in the final days of early voting.

Leaders of the organizing team at St. Ignatius secured a much needed crosswalk with safety lights.  The walk crosses Oltorf Street and connects the church to the HEB parking lot where many parishioners park.

Over 600 signatures on Dolores Catholic Church's agenda of issues have been collected in the last six months.  One of the issues that was raised during Dolores's house meeting campaign was the need to understand and address the church's budget.  The organizing team presented this information to their fellow parishioners during religious education classes and during Sunday Mass, and collections immediately increased, including one mass that doubled its regular contribution.

St. Ignatius, San Jose, Prince of Peace, and Travis Heights Elementary have continued to work with public housing residents to improve the living conditions at the Travis Park Apartments.  After several meetings with HUD authorities and other public officials, including U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett, Southwest Housing Authority recommended that there be a management change at the apartments.  This is an important step in creating a safe and decent place to live for all Travis Park residents.

Since June, 150 house meetings have been held at St. Ignatius, San Jose, Mt. Olive, Dolores, Santa Barbara, and St. Thomas More.  This brings the total number of house meetings conducted this year to 250!  By holding these meetings the congregations are able to build networks of relationships where leaders are identified, and where people know one another's interests so they are then able to develop agendas of issues that reflect what is most important to the entire congregation.

St. Thomas More organized an assembly on November 22 that was attended by over 100 parishoners who signed on to their church's agenda of issues.  The identified issues are education, health care, elderly/disabled care, building a relational culture, and economic realities, especially with regard to employment.  St. Thomas More was pleased to have two public officials in attendance, Representative Mark Strama, and RRISD Superintendent Jesus Chavez.