Members of Austin Interfaith packed the auditorium of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in East Austin Tuesday to plan for the upcoming Austin Interfaith Accountability Session.
AIF, a multi-ethnic issue-driven organization, was founded in 1985 to connect community institutions for the improvement of the Austin community.
The AIF members discussed their community agendas and shared their accomplishments within local organizations throughout the Austin area.
Participants vented their anger with policies affecting their respective communities, but also expressed pride in how AIF was confronting social issues with its grass-roots tactics.
Carol Darby, co-chairwoman of AIF, said nothing can be improved if the community fails to act.
"We are here because we understand that this is an opportunity to have a say in the future of Texas," Darby said. "We understand that we must be active citizens and take responsibility for our community and our schools. Tonight, let's turn that outrage into action."
Shirley Martinez, with the Capital IDEA Members Association, an adult job training program, said AIF leaders have been meeting with the mayor for additional program funding and have received an added $40,000.
The group supports policies that will positively affect education, housing, health care, immigration and economic justice. AIF wants the development of an equal public education system that ensures all schools have equal facilities and sufficient resources.
Regina Rogoff, AIF co-chairwoman, said the organization's goal is to push these issues to the forefront at their meeting in September, during which Texas candidates will be asked to take a stance on certain issues affecting Texas.
"We want to have major statewide candidates respond to our agendas," Rogoff said.
Rogoff said participants in the Alliance Schools Initiatives receive funding from the Investment Capital Fund from the Texas Education Agency budget. The fund allows individual schools to improve programs for students, such as providing additional funding for English-as-a-second-language classes.
"Local schools wanting to apply for funding must show that they are working with vocal grass-roots organizations and that they will use the money for the school's restructuring to improve student achievement," Rogoff said.
AIF and other statewide affiliates are attempting to gather 500,000 signatures from the Sign Up and Take Charge Campaign and will present the signatures to candidates for statewide office Sept. 8 at the Frank Erwin Center.
During Tuesday's meeting, organizers split into groups to discuss methods of gathering signatures around Austin. A group of 10 representing Johnston High School sat in a circle discussing various strategies for gathering additional signatures in the weeks prior to the summit.
Johnston HS Alliance Team leader Robert Zieger said everybody must go door-to-door discussing the issues with neighbors and other communities.
"We're trying to mobilize people," Zieger said.
Zieger said AIF is not only opening discussion about important issues, but is also trying to get people out to vote.
Gretchen Stolfo, a member of the Johnston group, said another purpose of the signature campaign is to inform candidates of citizens' opinions.
"We want to let candidates know the voters want this," Stolfo said.
The group plans to meet several times throughout the city prior to the accountability session.
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