EPISODE 45 - Immigration activist Joshua Rubin on holding onto love when hope feels lost | Texas is SWINGING, baby | Protecting DACA | #bluesquadgoals
For our last episode before the LIVE FINALE (!!!) we sat down with immigration activist Joshua Rubin to talk about what makes someone decide that they need to be on the front lines of an issue, no matter the cost. Josh, founder of Witness: Tornillo and a major reason why they closed those camps, believes that love is what kept his fire burning even after his hope was gone. We also learned about swing states (ahem, TEXAS) from Swing Left, and got revved up to make another push to protect DACA.
COME TO OUR SEASON FINALE LIVE SHOW NOVEMBER 19!:
Join us at The Riveter in Austin on Tuesday, November 19 from 7 - 9pm for our season finale live show. Special guests include Texas State Rep. Gina Hinojosa; Emily Ramshaw, Editor-in-Chief of the Texas Tribune; Royce Brooks, Executive Director of Annie's List; Dyana Limon-Mercado, Chair of the Travis County Democratic Party; and more! With surprise performances, jokes, sequins, prizes + more. This ain't Texas politics as usual!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-rabble-podcast-season-finale-spectacular-tickets-77364347847
PRESENTING SPONSOR - THE RIVETER CO-WORKING
The Riveter is a co-working space built by women for everyone. Rouser has been officing at The Riveter for the past couple months, and we literally cannot say enough nice things about it. The space is great, we love having events there, we love the free mentoring sessions they offer, and we love all the incredible folks we've gotten to meet at neighboring desks, from campaign staffers to entrepreneurs to innovators of every sort. If you're looking for an office or co-working space, check them out!
https://theriveter.co/coworking-locations/austin/
ADDITIONAL SPONSORS
If you need a little extra help prepping for those hard holiday conversations…. Lucky you! Citizen Discourse offers trainings that help folks grow listening skills, develop more self awareness and engage in authentic conversations. AND their restorative workshops support a more connected and trusting community. Check them out: https://www.citizendiscourse.org
Circle Brewing Company, local beer that’s tasty, clean and progressive. No chemicals, stabilizing or clarifying agents, cheap additives or gimmicky flavors.
https://www.circlebrewing.com/
The Austin Chapter of APAPA (Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs), who are doing a lot of work for the 2020 Census.
https://www.apapa.org/chapters/austin-texas/
Margaret Chen Kercher for Judge in Travis County Court at Law #4
Pritesh Gandhi for Congress in Texas’s 10th district
https://www.gandhifortexas.com/
Maria Cantú Hexsel for Judge in Travis County’s 53rd District Court
https://www.mariaforjudge.com/
Flip the Texas House: 17<10 - A Blue Action Democrats statewide initiative
Ann Howard for Travis County Commissioner Pct 3
https://www.annforcommissioner.com/
José Garza for Travis County District Attorney
The Blue Squad app, which you can download now to do all the
Julie Oliver for Congress in Texas’s 25th district
Annie's List, a nonprofit Electing Progressive Women in Texas.
Casey Chapman Ross Photography and her I am an Activist Coloring Book, available at a live show near you on Nov. 19
https://www.caseychapmanrossphotography.com/product-page/i-am-an-activist-coloring-book
Valinda Bolton for Travis County Commissioner Pct 3
Amy Meredith for Judge in the 460th District Court
https://www.amymeredithforjudge.com/
Wendy Davis for Congress in Texas’s 21st district
CItizen Discourse, offering trainings that help folks engage in more authentic conversations, like those hard holiday conversations we just talked about
Texas Civil Rights Project, legal advocates for the rising social justice movement
https://texascivilrightsproject.org/
Progress Texas, media and digital strategy company promoting progressive ideals while pushing back on the Texas right wing.
Heidi Sloan for Congress in Texas's 25th district
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THIS WEEK’S GUEST:
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Joshua Rubin
Immigration Rights Activist
https://www.facebook.com/groups/339957239906299/
Witness At Tornillo (movie)
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SH*T TO DO:
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Sign up to protect asylum and pack the court in San Antonio on Nov. 19: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfN8ZeXrj_lPEBs1254eR9e0o0voQG6kbrGcI7h-ZikEkIKVQ/viewform
Our friend of the pod and former guest host Dr. Cheasty Anderson runs the Children’s Defense Fund’s monthly Immigration Newsletter, which includes resources, news highlights and very tangible action items, like this San Antonio opp: https://www.tfaforms.com/4720928
LINKS WE MENTIONED:
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Swing Left focuses on mobilizing blue voters in swing states, and getting out the vote where it matters! And yes, Texas is in fact a swing state now: https://swingleft.org
The Blue Squad app, which you can download now to do all the progressive actions that help turn Texas blue:
Statement by Texas Attorney General Paxton concerning his belief that DACA is unlawful, and claiming that DACA recipients incur high costs from the state: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/ag-paxton-files-multistate-amicus-brief-supreme-court-supporting-trump-administration-effort-rescind
A study that indicates Paxton's claim is . . . misleading: https://itep.org/wp-content/uploads/2018DACA.pdf
This week here in Austin, hundreds of students and leaders from orgs like United We Dream, Texas Rising, Texas Organizing Project staged a school walkout and marched to Ken Paxton’s office. These are great organization to follow to stay up to date on what’s going on and how you can help rally and support Dreamers:
United We Dream: https://unitedwedream.org/
Texas Rising: https://txrising.org
Texas Organizing Project: https://organizetexas.org/
Deeds Not Words and Claudia Yoli: https://deedsnotwords.com/ - Claudia's story: https://progresstexas.org/blog/daca-recipients-must-be-protected-ahead-scotus-case?fbclid=IwAR1YVXlpZZXYFXDtRAOk5NQivIUXzkimi5r7hXZtpr1cTXaBhCwCaL1aQKE
Texas dreamers in limbo as Trump bargains their protections for border wall funding:
https://www.texastribune.org/2019/01/23/texas-daca-recipients-limbo-trump-bargains-border-wall/
Paxton’s claim that DACA costs Texas $250 million every year doesn’t count program's contributions:
AG Paxton Statement on DACA Supreme Court Argument:
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/ag-paxton-statement-daca-supreme-court-argument