It is no question that Austin is changing fast. Amidst foreboding promises of “redevelopment” and “urban renewal,” the gentrification of East Austin’s neighborhoods and businesses has brought displacement, disconnection, and disappointment for longstanding residents. To create a space for dialogue and story sharing, The University of Texas at Austin’s (UT)… read more
February 2017 Recap: The Impact of Gentrification on Longstanding Residents in East Austin
It is no question that Austin is changing fast. Amidst foreboding promises of “redevelopment” and “urban renewal,” the gentrification of East Austin’s neighborhoods and businesses has brought displacement, disconnection, and disappointment for longstanding residents. To create a space for dialogue and story sharing, The University of Texas at Austin’s (UT)… read more
Building Bridges Recap (2/10): Investing in Education
Three representatives from Huston-Tillotson University (HT) led the Building Bridges conversation on February 10th, a Second Friday which always spotlights the “school to profession pipeline”. Autumn Caviness, Director of the Center of Academic Excellence, Rachel Kunz, Assistant Vice President – Adult Degree Program, and Dr. Dominique Bowman Vining, Director of… read more
Building Bridges Recap (2/3): Leadership on Immigration
This week’s Building Bridges conversation explored a topic whose that is at the forefront of political debate both locally and nationally–immigration. Shubhada Saxena, Board President of SAIVA (South Asian’s International Volunteer Association), chronicled the history of a nation founded by immigrants which now suppresses the citizenship of people of color… read more
Building Bridges Recap (1/27): Inequality in Austin’s Economy
On Friday morning, January 27th, the NAACP-Austin branch office was the setting for an eye-opening conversation between a diverse crowd of community organizers, longtime residents, graduate students, police officers, and educators. Garrett Groves, Director of Economic Opportunity at the Center for Public Policy Priorities, walked the group through his recent… read more