Texas
We organize across Texas to advance a racial and economic justice agenda through all levels of local government in the state. Across rural towns, growing cities, and large counties, we share bold ideas, organize trans-local campaigns that meet our communities’ needs, and push back against abusive state preemption.

AT A GLANCE

Local Progress Texas (LPTX) drives progressive change through collaborative governance with local partners and communities. Since becoming an official state chapter in 2019, we have mobilized elected officials from five cities to coordinate a legal strategy to fight back against SB4, connected elected officials from Austin, San Antonio and Dallas to coordinate strategies with community and labor partners to pass paid sick days policies, and organized elected officials from more than a dozen municipalities to work together on raising wages for municipal workers. See our Statement of Principles here.

LPTX currently has more than 90 members across the state, representing nearly 50 jurisdictions.

We are proud to work closely with the Texas AFL-CIO, Workers Defense Project, Texas Organizing Project, and other movement allies.

Our Work & Priorities

In Texas, our work is driven by community needs – both long-standing ones driven by historically harmful policies and exacerbated by climate change and emerging ones driven by our state’s conservative agenda. 

Right now, our statewide policy work is heavily focused on fighting abusive state preemption and standing up for immigrant justice. 

Organizing Committee

As a member-led network, our state work is led by an incredible state organizing committee – a group of LPTX members that meet regularly to weigh in on policy priorities, propose statewide campaigns, and drive the strategic vision for our work.

Vanessa Fuentes' headshot

VANESSA FUENTES

Austin City Councilmember
LPTX Organizing Committee Co-Chair

Adam Bazaldua's headshot

ADAM BAZALDUA

Dallas City Councilmember
LPTX Organizing Committee Co-Chair

Alexsandra Anello's headshot

ALEXSANDRA ANNELLO

former El Paso City Representative

David Stout's headshot

DAVID STOUT

El Paso County Commissioner

Stephanie Gharakhanian's headshot

STEPHANIE GHARAKHANIAN

Austin Community College Board Trustee

Brian Rowland's headshot

BRIAN ROWLAND

Former Prairie View Mayor

Tartisha Hill's headshot

TARTISHA HILL

Balch Springs Councilmember

Deter McCoy headshot

DEXTER L. MCCOY

Fort Bend County Commissioner

ZOHAIB "ZO" QADRI

Austin City Councilmember

Crystal Davila's headshot

CRYSTAL DAVILA

Pasadena Independent School District Trustee

Teri Castillo's headshot

TERI CASTILLO

San Antonio City Councilmember

ALYSSA GARZA

San Marcos City Councilmember

ALYSSA CIGARROA

Laredo City Councilmember

Our State work

REFORM / TRANSFORM TEXAS

Texas relies heavily on incarceration and policing. Across the state, we are working to prioritize community needs and end mass criminalization and mass incarceration.

ABORTION & REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

In deep collaboration with local advocates, we are working at the local level to protect bodily autonomy and support abortion access – including creating practical support funds and implementing decriminalization policies.

LOCAL CONTROL

No matter the issue, local electeds are a critical voice on protecting local control and against abusive state preemption that negatively impacts communities. We develop and implement statewide campaigns to fight abusive state interference.

CLIMATE RESILIENCY

We need action at all levels of government to build resilient communities in the face of our climate crisis. In Texas, that means decentralizing our state’s power grid, creating public ownership of our energy industry, and supporting the growth of our green energy sectors.

Resources and tools

FEATURED NEWS & Stories

Texas Tribune Article: Texas continues imprisoning migrants without filing charges or appointing lawyers, court filings claim

LPTX Chapter Manager Witnesses Dehumanizing ‘Operation Lone Star’ at Texas-Mexico Border

Last week, Local Progress Texas Chapter Manager, Kara Sheehan, spent two days at the Texas-Mexico border to witness Operation Lone Star (OLS) firsthand. Here are her reflections.
A group photo of the LPTX delegation at the 2024 Local Progress National Convening.

LPTX State Download 📣 | Building community and fighting for a better Texas! | September 2024

See what our LPTX Chapter has been up to and how you can get involved this fall!
Congressman Greg Casar speaks to protesters at the Governor’s Mansion against the Death Star Bill on Sept. 7, 2023. The protest was organized by the Workers Defense Project who want to protect the mandated rest breaks for workers outlined in local Austin ordinance. | Photo received from Kevin Kim (The Daily Texan)

Opinion: One Year Later, Local Leaders Must Be Bold Despite “Death Star” Law

July 1, 2024 marks one year since the City of Houston sued the state of Texas over the Death Star law. San Marcos City Councilmember Alyssa Garza makes the case that now is the time to be bold – to advance policies that uplift the very communities our legislature wants to silence.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) building in Washington, DC.

As FTC non-compete case is heard in federal court in Texas, Texas local electeds are standing up for everyday workers

A dozen local electeds in Texas are making their voices heard as the FTC non-compete case is heard in a federal court in Texas next month.