Last week, 130 elected officials from around the country descended upon Austin for Resistance & Progress, the sixth annual Local Progress national convening. On the same day when brave activists were beating back the destruction of the American health care system in the United States Senate, the country’s leading progressive local leaders came together in the sweltering Texas heat to resist the state’s attacks on immigrants and build collective power and solidarity in their shared fights for social justice.
The four-day event opened with a rousing protest on the steps of the Texas Capitol, where LP members stood with immigrant leaders to decry the state’s hateful show-me-your-papers SB4 law, which outlaws sanctuary cities and threatens local elected officials who promote sanctuary with arrest and removal from office. Organized by CPD affiliates TOP, WDP, and Austin City Councilmember Greg Casar, five of the state’s biggest cities have banded together to sue the state, in a show of trans-local resistance that epitomizes Local Progress’ theory that cities can work together to change our states and our nation. The protest was covered by most of Texas’ print and television media, and it highlighted the importance of local elected officials pushing back against the Koch-funded state interference in local government that is happening in states around the country.
Read the rest in the Center for Popular Democracy's newsletter
Go to the GEO front page
Add new comment