TribTalk: All Articles

Beijing, Beijing, of thee I sing!

Kevin McCaffrey — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 05:00:01 +0000

A poem.

School closures would impact an already vulnerable black population in Austin

Rickey Lowe — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 05:00:01 +0000

School closures are often justified with a string of hyphenated descriptors — like “under-utilized” or “under-enrolled” — each of which speaks to an immediate need for administrative action. But no descriptor can quell the frustration of those expected to bear the brunt of a closed school, especially when it is inextricably tied to a legacy of racism.

For World Mental Health Day, take 40 seconds

Dr. Octavio N. Martinez Jr. — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 18:21:19 +0000

Forty seconds is enough time to make a difference that could save a life. It can also be the pivot point for a new national consensus that makes our communities happier, healthier, and more equal.

Some progress on women’s justice in Texas — but more must be done

Lindsey Linder — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 04:16:38 +0000

When we fail to provide incarcerated women with the health- and family-centered support they need, we compromise their ability to successfully shake the stigma of incarceration, hindering positive reentry into society and jeopardizing long-term community wellness.

Texas benefits from investing in safe pipelines

Jim Keffer — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 03:52:31 +0000

Texas has always led the nation in oil and gas innovation. We must use all the sensible tools within reach to maximize our abilities to safely and efficiently move our energy resources to consumer markets in the U.S. and to our allies around the globe.

Solitary confinement is terrible, but so is regular prison

Jorge Renaud — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 05:00:01 +0000

We should condemn all cages, not just those that we have been told are necessary because certain individuals are beyond redemption — monsters who must be kept out of sight, without access to the basic human needs of touch and conversation and some type of human contact. Solitary doesn't create monsters; society does. Solitary just hides our worst mistakes.

I had a teacher who looked like me

Shareefah Mason — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 05:00:01 +0000

It is imperative that my students feel like they matter, and that they are accurately represented in their classrooms. I want them to see someone who looks like them, shares similar experiences and provides authentic anecdotes to overcome the challenges they experience.

It’s not just Austin. The state of Texas has a homelessness problem.

Ed Espinoza — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 05:00:01 +0000

What do Austin, Dallas, Frisco, Houston, McKinney and Odessa all have in common? They are all dealing with homeless Texans. And while Austin is getting a lot of attention on this issue now, the truth is that many cities around Texas are struggling and have received little in the way of state and federal assistance.

A conversation began at TribFest. Let’s keep it going.

Tom Luce and Margaret Spellings — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 18:43:44 +0000

A number of folks approached us during the recent Texas Tribune Festival and asked, “What is Texas 2036 all about?”

It’s exactly the question we were hoping to hear. We explained that Texas 2036 is a nonprofit organization building statewide support for sustained, data-driven planning efforts. We are focused on the challenges and opportunities our state faces as it prepares for its bicentennial in 17 years — and the 10 million more people who will call Texas home by then.

Expanded broadband access lifts limits on human potential

Dr. Steven E. Johnson, WGU Texas Chancellor — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 15:55:49 +0000

With expanded broadband access you reap what you sow – a smarter, healthier, more prosperous Texas.

Texas could suffer if the U.S. keeps out refugees like me

Innocent Bugingo — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 05:00:01 +0000

It’s hard to imagine where I’d be if the U.S. hadn’t welcomed me, or if I’d even be alive. And yet today, our country is welcoming fewer refugees than ever. Nationally, we’ve reached the lowest level in nearly forty years, and Texas saw a 79% decrease in refugee resettlement between 2017 and 2018.

An impeachment, a House scandal and the 2020 elections could bedevil Texas GOP

James Henson and Joshua Blank — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 19:04:19 +0000

Amidst the historic national implications of the now all-but-certain impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump, a renewed focus on questions of corruption and abuse of power in the White House threatens Republican Texas incumbents’ near-monoply of the state’s political system.

How Walmart helps fight hunger in Texas

Walmart.org — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:17:24 +0000

Do you know what it’s like to be hungry? Really hungry? To live with the constant stress over how to pay for food? To not know where your family’s next meal is coming from? To have to tell your children there is no dinner tonight?

Gov. Abbott should call a special session to address gun violence

Hussain Lalani and Justin Lowenthal — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 05:00:01 +0000

More guns, particularly in the hands of those posing a risk to themselves or others, do not make us safer. We’re asking the governor to join us in protecting the lives of our fellow Texans.

Upholding our right to self-defense

James Dickey — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 05:00:01 +0000

The countless lawful gun owners of Texas are passionate about defending their rights, and we know that there will be constant attacks from the left to limit them. We will continue to reject that narrative and to work alongside our elected officials to pursue policies that increase safety by respecting liberty.

El despertar! The awakening — or how this cycle might finally wake the Latino vote

Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 05:00:01 +0000

Pundits have long suggested the Latinx vote in Texas was a powder keg in Texas politics; strike the right political spark and it ignites an explosion. Yet, to date, the so-called sleeping giant has only slowly risen from its slumber.

How to reduce waste in the kitchen

Imperfect — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 11:08:20 +0000

Food waste happens at every point in the food system, but more than 43% of it happens in our homes, according to ReFED.

Texas Legislature making strides to protect patients

Dr. Christine L. Canterbury — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 14:40:11 +0000

Don’t let a lawyer be your doctor.

Overnight success: Yeah, that’s not a thing

Bibi Yasmin Katsev — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 05:00:01 +0000

Turning a struggling school into a good one requires systemic, long-term commitment from every educator, parent and community member. It does not happen overnight. It needs the support of the entire community, and mostly, it needs time.

The credible case for One Water

Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 16:04:38 +0000

The US Water Alliance advances policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all.