FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE :

PRESS CONFERENCE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 8TH, 11 AM at the CONLEY-GUERRERO SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER

With Representative Lloyd Doggett and Michael Lofton

Contact: Daniel Llanes, 431-9665, dllanesrb@earthlink.net

Multicultural Coalition of Community Groups Unite for East Austin

The "East Austin Voter Mobilization Initiative"(EAVMI), comprised of East Austin Latino, African American, and immigrant community organizations, have joined forces with citywide organizations to announce an unprecedented multi-ethnic, multi-cultural collaborative effort to get the vote out in East Austin… “My Austin, My Family, My Vote!”

The effort, spearheaded by Southwest Key Program's East Austin VOTA! Campaign, PODER (People Organized in Defense of Earth and Her Resources), Austin Center for Peace & Justice, and Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition form the core of this initiative.

Other coalition members include LULAC District 12, NAACP, Austin Interfaith, Austin Council of MoveOn.org, Austin Coffee Party and Austin League of Women Voters. NCLR (National Council of La Raza), Mi Familia Texas and RITA (Reform Immigration for Texas) are national and state wide co-sponsors of the Initiative.

EAVMI will target precincts 123, 427, and 426 – the lowest voter turnout precincts in Travis County. The goal is to register 300-400 new voters, to distribute voter education materials and to increase voter turnout in these precincts by 20% to 25%.

EAVMI has also joined with Mi Familia Vota and RITA (Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance) in a statewide effort to "get the vote out" in Texas Latino and African American segments of our communities. Community organizations throughout the state have launched a massive non-partisan effort to register and turn out Latino and African American voters this November. In similar and coordinated activities throughout the state, community leaders will be joined by dozens of volunteers in this unprecedented collaboration to "Get the Vote Out". “My Texas, My Family, My Vote!”

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East Austin VOTA! Campaign: Southwest Key's East Austin VOTA! Campaign seeks to increase the political efficacy of the Govalle/Johnston Terrace community through voter registration, education and get-out-the-vote efforts. The campaign is part of Southwest Key’s resident-driven Community Empowerment Initiative, which works to empower a new wave of neighborhood leaders through education and advocacy around critical issues facing East Austin. Visit www.swkey.org to learn more.

The Austin Peace & Justice Center was organized in April 2002. Recognizing that there cannot be peace unless justice prevails—thus ACPJ has sponsored annual peace events, provided opportunities for networking among peace and justice group by collaborating in partnerships to assist other agencies in accomplishing their goals. Current Chairman Roscoe Overton, has sought to organize the ACPJ organization to be totally inclusive of our community.

PODER mission is redefining environmental issues as social and economic justice issues, and collectively setting our own agenda to address these concerns as basic human rights. We seek to empower our communities through education, advocacy and action. Our aim is to increase the participation of communities of color in corporate and government decision making.

The Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition (AIRC) is a membership-based coalition of immigrants, allies, and organizations that promotes human rights and dignity, and social and economic justice for immigrants through community organizing, policy advocacy, and public education.