Grassroots Leadership Blog

The Texas legislative session was ugly, but it wasn’t all bad

June 4, 2017 by Cristina Parker

You’ve heard the bad news about immigration. But there actually are things to celebrate now that an ugly, racist legislative session is behind us. Lewis Conway, second from left, urges lawmakers to close prisons.

Rep. Matt Rinaldi put a lid on an already repugnant legislative session when he told colleagues that he reported protesters to federal immigration agents on Monday. Rinaldi’s mouthing off might hurt SB 4 supporters in court. [node:read-more:link]

Welcome our new summer interns!

May 23, 2017 by Rebecca Sanchez

Clockwise from Top Left: Jasmynne Flores, Alicia Guerrero, Anna Beaver & Valerie Murillo

Grassroots Leadership is very excited to welcome (4) new women to our team as part of the Summer ‘17 intern program! We are so excited to have them!  [node:read-more:link]

Grassroots Leadership's latest publication lays the groundwork for a new program area

April 25, 2017 by Cate Graziani

Grassroots Leadership is excited to release Beyond Alternatives to Incarceration and Confinement, which lays the groundwork for a new project area to fight the Treatment Industrial Complex. Our work exposing the TIC has shed light on the private prison profiteers who built billion dollar empires as partners in tough on crime policies and who are now adapting to reforms by rebranding themselves as humane treatment providers and reentry experts. [node:read-more:link]

WATCH: Texas Advocates for Justice #kNOwMORE2017 highlight video and recap

March 31, 2017 by Jorge Renaud

On February 1, Texas Advocates for Justice was honored to host a state-wide gathering of individuals whose lived experiences include incarceration, detention/deportation, and mental illness. The kNOw More Advocacy Day featured spirited marching, memorable speeches, an indelible art exhibit, and powerful conversations with Texas legislators. The daylong gathering was planned and led by individuals whose lives have been most affected by Texas jails.
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Announcing Sofia Casini's new role at Grassroots Leadership

March 8, 2017 by Cristina Parker

Sofia Casini, immigration programs coordinator

I am pleased to announce that Sofia Casini has joined our staff full-time as our new immigration programs coordinator. To many of you, Sofia is a familiar face. She has been working as our detention visitation coordinator since 2015.

Sofia Casini brings over 15 years of experience working with immigrants, refugees, and victims of trafficking.  [node:read-more:link]

What we're fighting for at the Texas Legislature

January 10, 2017 by Holly Kirby

Today marks the first day of the 85th Texas Legislature, and we're gearing up for a fight. We are ready to stand with those who have felt the devastation of our mass incarceration crisis first hand. We will fight to protect immigrants and keep families together. And, on February 1, 2017 criminal justice and immigration groups from around the state will converge in Austin for a march, rally, art exhbit and visits to legislators to speak boldly about what we are fighting for. We hope that you'll join us.  [node:read-more:link]

Learning from the Borderlands

November 22, 2016 by Jake Crowther

This past week I had the privilege of traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of a border delegation through the Young Adult Volunteer program of the Presbyterian Church USA. Though I had lived on the border for a year and know this particular area quite well, I did not know exactly how this trip would turn out. [node:read-more:link]

We do not consent. We will not comply. We will fight back.

November 10, 2016 by Rebecca Sanchez

Like many of you, we are shocked, saddened and angered by Tuesday’s national election results. For some of us, the results are traumatizing. Donald Trump spent more than a year on the campaign trail threatening immigrants, making explicitly racist statements, bragging about sexual assault, mocking women, people with disabilities, and Muslims, encouraging supporters to beat up Black protestors, and promoting violent and illegal policies.   [node:read-more:link]

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