With 21 accidents occurring at one intersection in the previous 36 months, Valley Interfaith leaders made an issue of that intersection's lack of light signal, demanding that the City of Brownsville install one to prevent further collisions. One complicating factor was the state's reluctance to pay for the improvement on the road, which is a state highway. On March 1st, the City Commissioners voted to appropriate local funds for the signal. Commissioner Jessica Tetreau credited Valley Interfaith for bringing it up.

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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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When Azeneth de la Fuente's daughter suffered an accident at home last month, an ambulance took 25 minutes to arrive because of terrible road conditions. Ms. de la Fuente has been organizing to fix her neighborhood for over a year. On International Women's Day she testified before Bexar County Commissioners declaring, "we are not second class citizens... my daughter deserves better!"

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After years of public pressure on Austin's Central Health District, Ofelia Zapata, a leader with Austin Interfaith, celebrated the opening of a modern wellness clinic in Southeast Austin, a comprehensive health center near Dove Springs. "We are finally getting that holistic health care facility we wanted!" she said.

Officials expect 80,000 patient visits this year, mainly from low-income or uninsured residents of Dove Springs, Montopolis and Del Valle. The one-stop shop will include access to on-site imaging services, a pharmacy, laboratory, pregnancy support, and hearing tests in addition to nutrition classes, same-day appointments when sick, dentist appointments, community space and a garden. University of Texas Dell Medical School students and new doctors will train at the center.

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Arguing that the "stress of poverty" has a toxic effect on children's developing brains, COPS / Metro leaders stormed a San Antonio Independent School District Board meeting asking for wage raises for the lowest paid district workers, including bus drivers and cafeteria workers, to at least $13 per hour. A low wage job, said Maria Tijerina, "undermines a child's ability to learn."

Cafeteria manager Vanita Rodriguez spoke on behalf of her employees, revealing that every one she works with holds down at least two jobs to make ends meet. As the parent of 7 and the grandparent of 24, most of which are SAISD students, she knows that poverty hampers children's capacity to learn. COPS/Metro joined forces with the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel to raise this issue with the School Board and met with all 7 trustees prior to the board meeting.

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150 leaders of Austin Interfaith gathered for an evening delegates assembly that soon transitioned into a nonpartisan accountability assembly with all primary candidates for Travis County Sheriff. Candidates were limited to timed responses to questions about the processing of undocumented immigrants and cooperation with ICE, workforce development for people before release and face-to-face visitation for prisoners. Most candidates responded yes to each of the questions.

Austin Interfaith Calls for Compassion in Sheriff's Race, Time Warner Cable

When Maria Bernal's baby stopped breathing after midnight, she called 911. The child turned blue as she waited 90 minutes for ambulances to arrive; the ambulances were stuck in the sand.

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Speaking on behalf of COPS / Metro Alliance, Fr. Walter D'Heedene of Sacred Heart Catholic Church reported to the San Antonio Express News that the organization plans to build on their living wage wins of 2015 by raising all public sector jobs in the city to a living wage of $15 /hour. He also mentioned that the organization plans to address predatory lending and criminal justice reforms, including those related to employment in 2016.

Agenda 2016: Community Leaders' Top Priorities for 2016, San Antonio Express News

Last July, Hidden Valley / High Meadows (mobile home) residents became distressed when lot rents for people on month-to-month leases were raised for the second time within a 12-month period. New rules mandated improvements and standardizations — adding new costs to residents — including deck and railing upgrades, paint jobs, skirting repair, shed standardization, and control over inside window coverings. Families were asked to demonstrate possession of a drivers' license to drive on the property, impacting hundreds of residents. Many families scrambled to comply; some left.

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"As far as Michael Brown is concerned, he wasn't supposed to be here.

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