Four years ago, Ora Houston became one of the first Austin City Council members elected under a system of geographic districts that included an “African-American opportunity district.” Now, as Houston prepares to leave office and a bevy of candidates competes to replace her, a strong early showing by a Hispanic woman raises the possibility that the council might no longer include a black representative. Read more here.

Did you know that the Texas Civil Rights Project in 2012 reported that inequitable funding was actually endorsed by the Austin Independent School District (AISD)? The report stated, “AISD allows and supports the private subsidization of higher-income (or 'higher-equity') schools, sometimes by as much as $1,000/student more than the amount of funds that support Black and Latino students in lower-income (or ‘lower-equity’) schools." Click here to read the improvements made by AISD. Do you see these changes at your schools?

"Any vulnerable child can be a victim of sex trafficking, but we can no longer gloss over the fact that the majority of those who are victimized are girls of color. By illuminating the problem, and potential solutions, we are taking the first steps toward ending the abuse and exploitation of our most marginalized girls." - Gabrielle Union

This article seeks to describe the vulnerabilities of African Americans and other people of color to exploitation in the sex trafficking industry. Read more on the Dressember blog.

On October 11, Huston-Tillotson University will be holding a symposium titled, "Black Power to Black Lives Matter." The event will be held from 8:00am to 5:00pm in the King Seabrook Chapel.

We hope to see you there!

Will HUD Secretary Ben Carson enforce the Fair Housing Act and effectively administer an agency that can make a difference in the quality of life for low-income people? Read more here.

​As budget week kicked off Monday at Austin City Hall, a group of activists called for the City Council to fund their plan to fight off gentrification in the eastern part of the city. Read more here.

Come out to the ACT-SO Recognition and Kick-Off Program! This event will feature ACT-SO national participants, the Austin branch NAACP youth council, ACT-SO mentors, and ACT-SO judges. Details for the event are below:

When: September 16, 4:00pm
Where: David Chapel Church, 2211 Martin Luther King Blvd.

We hope to see you there! Learn more about our ACT-SO programs here.

Kaepernick's controversial decision to kneel during the national anthem in protest of police brutality has been debated both on and off the field, but, Tuesday, Nike reignited the debate. Read more here.

The next meeting for the Black Austin Democrats is on Thursday, September 20, 2018 at 6:00pm at the Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Richard Scott Building at 4717 Heflin Lane. The guest speaker is Nelson Linder, President of the Austin NAACP Chapter. ​Join us!