EPISO and Border Interfaith leaders, joined by representatives from Project ARRIBA, flew in to the Texas Capitol to join hundreds of Texas IAF leaders calling on state legislators to increase state finance of adult and K-12 education. 

After a morning briefing on school finance, the Texas Innovative Career Education (ACE) program and other issues -- including healthcare, payday lending, and infrastructure in the colonias -- leaders were honored for their establishment of noteworthy labor market intermediaries, including Project ARRIBA.  Immediately afterward, they convened on the South Capitol steps.  El Paso area legislators stood in solidarity with leaders and pledged to continue working for investments in people, including Representatives Joe Moody (HD 78), Mary Gonzalez (HD 75) and Art Fierro (HD 79).

In photos above, Fr. Ken Ducre from Christ the Savior Catholic and Rep. Joe Moody speaks to crowd, which includes leaders from sister organizations TMO in Houston, COPS/Metro in San Antonio, Central Texas / Austin Interfaith,  West Texas Organizing Strategy (WTOS), Dallas Area Interfaith and Valley Interfaith in the Rio Grande Valley. 

After the press conference, leaders broke out into smaller delegations to meet with legislators representing their geographic regions.     

Organizations Call On State Legislators to Support Adult Education, Univision 62 [Spanish video] 

Piden a Legisladores Texanos Más Fondos Para Apoyar la Educación de Adultos, Univision 62 

Valley Interfaith: State's Share of School Funding Has Dropped From 50% to Barely 36%, Rio Grande Guardian