Val BenavidezOutreach & Field Director, Texas Freedom Network/Texas Rising

TEXAS RISINGA project of the Texas Freedom Network

TFN - Founded in 1995 by Cecile Richards to counter religious right- Religious Freedom, Civil Liberties, Public Education

TEXAS RISING - Leadership dev program invests in young organizers- Grassroots Organizing, Public Policy Advocacy, Civic Engagement

Evergreen Organizing Model – Wellstone Triangle

30 + yo

18-29 yo

Young people represent 25% of the Texas electorate!

TEXAS RISING - SCALE 21 PAID STUDENT ORGANIZERS – 14 CAMPUS CHAPTERS

• University of Houston • University of Houston Downtown• Trinity University • Texas State University • Collin County Community College • University of North Texas• El Paso Community College

• University of Texas El Paso • University of Texas RGV (Edinburg) • University of Texas RGV (Brownsville) • University of Texas Dallas• University of Texas Austin • University of Texas Arlington• University of Texas San Antonio

TEXAS RISING IMPACT2012 Election Cycle

• 4,021 – Voter Registrations • 2,033 – Pledge-to-Vote Cards• 6,001 – GOTV Calls• 6,024 – GOTV Text Messages• 508 – Doors Knocked

2014 Election Cycle • 3,510 – Voter Registrations • 11,137 – Pledge-to-Vote Cards• 11,137 – GOTV Mailer• 13,282 – GOTV Calls• 24,000 – GOTV Text Messages

Non-partisan Civic Engagement

Public Policy Advocacy • Advocacy Days• In-District Briefings

• Rapid Response Network• Policy Briefings

TEXAS RISING IMPACT

Claudia Yoli Ferla – Texas Rising El Paso Field Organizer

Questions?• Val Benavidez, TFN Outreach and Field Director

val@tfn.org

• Claudia Yoli Ferla, TFN El Paso Field Organizerclaudia@tfn.org