Posted
on
News
by
West / Southwest IAF
· March 03, 2017 12:42 PM

Civic academies put together by the El Paso Interreligious Sponsoring Organization (EPISO) and Border Interfaith are drawing upwards of 50 parishioners per session eager to learn how to use their civil rights to protect family members from deportation.
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Posted
on
News
by
West / Southwest IAF
· July 22, 2016 3:52 PM
At St. Joseph's Catholic Catholic Church, Border Interfaith leaders brought in voting machines for a hands-on lesson on the mechanics of voting. Click below for video in Spanish.
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Posted
on
News
by
West / Southwest IAF
· April 29, 2016 4:02 PM
"When the Industrial Areas Foundation first came to Texas four decades ago, the organization was met with derision and hostility in many quarters. That certainly was true with the creation of the El Paso Interreligious Sponsoring organization in 1981.
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Posted
on
News
by
West / Southwest IAF
· March 10, 2016 3:33 PM

Eight months after the passage of a wage theft ordinance that enabled the City of El Paso to refuse government contracts to employers that violated wage theft laws, EPISO and Border Interfaith leaders celebrated the passage of a stronger ordinance which allows the city to
revoke the operating license of any business that refuses to pay their workers. Taking the lead on
Lift Up El Paso, a coalition of non-profits and congregational members of EPISO and Border Interfaith, EPISO and Border Interfaith leaders leveraged the support of Bishop Mark Seitz of the El Paso Catholic Diocese and local restaurant owners and construction companies to compel the City to pass this stricter ordinance. In several cases, owners were shocked there was even a fight to ensure their competitors don't skirt labor laws. Said EPISO leader Eloiso de Avila, "This is an important step for El Paso to show that way for Texas...that we care about employees and that we are fair."
EPISO and Border Interfaith furthermore secured the support of Texas State Representative Mary Gonzalez, county commissioners, other Texas state legislators and the local franchise owner of Chick fil-A. Organizational pressure prevailed over lobbyists flown in from Austin to try to block the new law.
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Posted
on
News
by
West / Southwest IAF
· February 19, 2016 9:57 AM

Invited as honored guests by Bishop Mark Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso, leaders of EPISO and Border Interfaith traveled to the US levee to celebrate mass with Pope Francis during his historic visit to Ciudad Juarez on the border. They were included in a "small contingency of the faithful" to greet him as he approached the river's edge from Ciudad Juarez to deliver a special blessing and prayer for the safety and security of immigrants in their search for a better life.
Before departing to the levee, leaders joined US Catholic Bishops and Cardinals for a special gathering in which they reported local action around immigration, including work around the recent increased presence of State Troopers in El Paso County.
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Posted
on
News
by
West / Southwest IAF
· October 27, 2015 9:51 AM

Due to its work in closing the achievement gap for Latinos in college access and STEM education,
Project ARRIBA (established by
EPISO and
Border Interfaith) was named one of three El Paso "Bright Spots" by the White House Initiative on Education Excellence for Hispanics. Since its inception, ARRIBA has graduated and placed over 1,100 students in the El Paso economy.
Posted
on
News
by
West / Southwest IAF
· July 03, 2015 11:59 AM
EPISO and allies, including the Paso del Norte Civil Rights Project, celebrated the passage of a wage theft ordinance created in collaboration with city council, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Leeser declared that El Paso will be "only the second city to ever" enable the city to refuse to award contracts to employers who violated wage theft laws.
Over the next 60 days, EPISO and Border Interfaith leaders will work with the city to consider amendments potentially granting additional powers to refuse to grant, or revoke, permits and licenses to wage theft violators.
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Posted
on
News
by
West / Southwest IAF
· March 16, 2015 10:06 AM

For the second time in one year, IAF organizations in El Paso (
EPISO and
Border Interfaith) dealt a harsh blow to the bottom line of payday lenders.
During last year's fight to restrict how much payday lenders can legally make off the backs of lower-income families, opponents from the lending industry couched their financial predation under the guise of "providing a valuable service" to residents. After winning a significant victory in 2014 limiting payday lending profits, leaders wanted more.
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Posted
on
News
by
West / Southwest IAF
· February 05, 2015 3:29 PM

In addition to securing half a million dollars to upgrade the Ruben Estrella Park in the Montana Vista
colonia, leaders of
EPISO went on to leverage an additional $4.5 Million to begin construction to extend Edgemere Boulevard from the City of El Paso into the unincorporated community. The road will better allow residents from Montana Vista to better access the City of El Paso; Montana Vista is currently accessible by only one road.
Posted
on
News
by
West / Southwest IAF
· August 26, 2014 3:25 PM
Victorious from a January move to limit payday lending profitability in El Paso, leaders of Border Interfaith and El Paso Interreligious Sponsoring Organization (EPISO) are setting their sights on statewide legislation.
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