Community News
• Paid parental leave approved for City of Houston employees
Houston’s first-ever paid parental leave policy passed in a unanimous vote by city council. Until now, City of Houston employees who became new parents had to use vacation or sick time or take off unpaid days. The new policy provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave for 22,000 city employees after a birth, adoption or foster placement. It covers full-time employees on the job for at least six months and is set to go into effect in May 2022. - KHOU
Spring Valley Village’s Police Chief Loyd Evans announced he will be leaving his position in a special meeting after the city attorney said discrepancies were found in his overtime pay. Evans was placed on administrative leave recently after the city discovered that “in 2020 and 2021, very substantial amounts of overtime had been paid” to him, an exempt employee. In a 9-month period in 2020, Chief Evans allegedly received $189,038 in overtime pay plus base salary. In 2021, his overtime payments allegedly continued for an additional $96,040 plus base salary. - KHOU
Local Organizations
Self Help for African People through Education - SHAPE is of the most visible and involved community centers in Houston’s African-American community and the Houston community as a whole. It has led the way toward justice, equal opportunity, and institution building in the city, state, nation and world. Because of its deep commitment to the community, SHAPE has actively sought ways to oppose injustice and to better the community for all people.
Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services - TEJAS is dedicated to providing community members with the tools necessary to create sustainable, environmentally healthy communities by educating individuals on health concerns and implications arising from environmental pollution, empowering individuals with an understanding of applicable environmental laws and regulations and promoting their enforcement, and offering community building skills and resources for effective community action and greater public participation.
Collective of Houston Asian Americans - CHAA is a collective of Asian American Queer Houstonians committed to intersectional work around our identities, our communities, and fellow communities of color.
Gender Infinity - Gender Infinity is an organization that creates affirming spaces for families, learners, advocates, and providers to advance relationships, knowledge, and resources that empower gender diverse individuals. They also host an annual conference.
South Texas Human Rights Center - STHRC is a community based organization dedicated to the promotion, protection, defense and exercise of human rights and dignity in South Texas. Our mission is to end death and suffering on the Texas/Mexico border through community initiatives.
Houston Area Women's Center - HAWC helps individuals affected by domestic and sexual violence in their efforts to move their lives forward. We provide shelter, counseling and advocacy to support them in building lives free from the effects of violence. We seek social change to end domestic and sexual violence through community awareness and education. Our services are confidential and available to everyone.
United Against Human Trafficking - UAHT was formed in 2005 as a volunteer coalition in response to the growing recognition and alarm over the prevalence of human trafficking in the Greater Houston area. The organization aspires for all people to experience freedom and live beyond bondage to others. They envision a world that is intolerant of buyers and sellers of human beings.
South West Alternate Media Project - SWAMP is a non-profit organization that encourages a diverse, multicultural community to create and appreciate film as an art form. Incorporated as a nonprofit media arts center in 1977, SWAMP is Houston’s premier creative resource for filmmakers and film lovers. SWAMP promotes film and new media through education, information, and presentation activities for all ages.
Daya - Daya supports South Asian women, their children and families who are trying to break the cycle of domestic and sexual violence and reclaim their lives. Daya empowers these women by offering counseling and advocacy, promoting community awareness, and by advocating at the policy level. Daya’s approach fosters individual freedom and respect leading to healthy families.
Recent Events
Learn about Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, a gun violence organization founded by three teachers pushing for legislative change. Gun violence affects educators, students, families, classrooms, districts and communities all across the country, every single day.
National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day increases awareness, sparks conversations, and highlights the work being done to reduce HIV among women and girls in the United States while showing support for those with HIV.
Upcoming Events
Local Hero Spotlight
Members can nominate a local hero for recognition on their local LoveJustice.com city page!
Anyone and everyone can make an impact, and at LoveJustice we believe that they deserve to be recognized for their good, necessary work!
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