Will the recent surge in civic engagement help elect leaders who are more representative of the state’s diversity in 2018? Two recent court rulings may help. Federal courts in Texas held that the state’s voter ID law and congressional redistricting maps intentionally discriminated against Latino and black voters.
The halls of the state Capitol remain crowded as we approach the final month of the legislative session. Thousands have traveled to Austin to voice their opposition to bad bills, often waiting for hours to testify for just a few minutes. Last month, children of undocumented parents stayed up late to ask lawmakers not to deport their parents.
It was chilling to watch many legislators, stone faced, ignore their pleas. But even so, while people of all ages and backgrounds waited bleary-eyed in the hallways to share their stories and the values that come with them, I could see the potential for a brighter future for Texas.
