President’s Message

Community, care, and freedom. These are the values that come to mind when I think of Texas. 

More than 30 million people of all ages, identities, genders, cultures, faiths, and abilities call this state home. Every last one of those people deserves to be surrounded by community, to feel safe and cared for, and to live freely as their fullest selves.

Most Texans agree with that notion. Yet, those in power continue to work directly against the will of the people they’re meant to serve by dividing our communities, spreading hate, and restricting our freedoms.

In 2024, our far-right leaders stooped to new lows by targeting one of our most vulnerable populations: children in our public schools. They turned what should be a safe place for kids to learn and express themselves into a political battleground. Extremists at the local and statewide levels worked relentlessly to censor what students can read and learn, and impose their narrow-minded view of Christianity on students of all faiths, and no faith at all. As if these attacks on our children weren’t enough, the politicians in power did more than ever to suppress Texans’ access to the ballot box during a critical election year.

The deck has never felt more stacked against democracy, both in Texas and nationally. But we aren’t giving up. We will never give up. 

Let me tell you what else happened in 2024.

When the state attempted to sneak Bible stories into an elementary school reading curriculum, TFN’s grassroots network raised hell and fought hard for the religious freedom of impressionable young students. When anti-abortion extremists tried to pass an abortion travel ban in Amarillo, our Just Texas program worked with partners to educate residents who voted to reject the ordinance by a whopping 20 percentage points. In the face of the far right’s voter suppression and intimidation efforts, our Texas Rising students registered thousands of Texans to vote and fought to establish polling locations at UT-Austin, St. Edward’s, and Huston-Tillotson. As ISDs across Texas banned LGBTQIA+ stories and targeted queer children, our slate of endorsed school board candidates in Round Rock ran on the commitment to protect those children — and swept their elections.

This is the Texas we fight for; a state where we choose freedom over authoritarianism, hope over hatred, and moving forward over going backward.

We can’t know what 2025 holds, but what we do know is that TFN’s fierce grassroots network will continue to show up to fight for justice at the Capitol, in the classroom, and in our communities. Change takes time and effort, far longer and far more than it should. But for almost 30 years, we’ve been on the front lines, and we won’t stop now. 

It has been my deep honor to have been part of this amazing organization for 18 years. As I pass the torch to a new generation of leaders, know that I am forever yours in the fight. I will always be part of our movement, and the movement will always be part of me.

Thank you for your support. We cannot do this work without you.

TFN President 
(she/ella)

Democracy in Action


By collaborating with supportive Democrats and Republicans on the board and engaging with key stakeholders like Rep. James Talarico, we effectively exposed and countered extremist influences.

The State Board of Education (SBOE) remained a critical battleground for Texas’ future. Our Political team positioned TFN as the primary watchdog, developing comprehensive resources for activists, faith leaders, and educators as we spoke and mobilized against a controversial, Bible-infused reading curriculum developed by the state for K-5 public school students.

A significant victory came through our independent evaluation of proposed curriculum materials. Dr. David Brockman’s thorough analysis sparked crucial public discourse and mobilized over 70% of public testimony participants to utilize our talking points, ultimately helping protect our schools from unconstitutional content.

Our Organizing team mobilized thousands of activists to take action and raise their voices in opposition leading up to the final vote in November. While the SBOE members still voted 8-7 to approve the curriculum under the approved materials for public schools, TFN remains committed to ensuring that our public schools serve all students, regardless of their faith or cultural background. We’ll continue to advocate for students at the local level now that the Bluebonnet materials have passed.

In 2024, as Christian nationalism continued to challenge the foundations of our democracy, Texas Freedom Network remained resolute in our commitment to protect the rights and freedoms of all Texans. Through strategic organizing, youth mobilization, and dedicated advocacy, we’ve built powerful coalitions that demonstrate the true spirit of Texas—one of inclusion, justice, and democratic values.

In advance of the SBOE final vote, our digital action gained more than 100 actions in the first hour it went live, leading to more than 10,000 emails sent to SBOE members urging them to vote no on the Bible-infused curriculum.

Organizing for Religious Freedom

In a year marked by challenge to religious freedom, our Organizing Team achieved remarkable success in protecting the separation of church and state. 


Activitsts from Galveston and other communities statewide worked with our Organizing and Communications teams to urge local school boards to reject the implementation of the Chaplain Bill.

The widespread rejection of the Chaplain Bill by school districts choosing to vote against creating a specific policy that would welcome chaplains to work with students serves as a testament to our team’s work. 

Just Texas expanded the boundaries of faith-based advocacy by growing our Reproductive Freedom Congregation initiative into new regions and denominations, expanding by nearly 30% and actively reshaping the narrative around faith in Texas. We welcomed our first Episcopal Church in Houston and established our inaugural Reproductive Freedom Congregation in Amarillo - our first in the Texas Panhandle.

By conducting Faith + Reproductive Health workshops and engaging with congregations in rural and conservative areas, we challenged the dominant, narrow religious narrative that often shapes Texas politics. Our work this year underscored a powerful truth: every Texan has a faith story that reflects the true diversity of belief in our state—a diversity that stands in stark contrast to the divisive rhetoric of the religious right.


Our Just Texas organizer traversed the state hosting Reproductive Freedom Congregation info session as well as Faith + Politics workshops to push back on weaponized faith narratives.

Youth Power Rising

Texas Rising, our youth leadership program, demonstrated the tremendous power of young voices in democracy. Our achievements speak volumes:

  • Thousands of  new voter registrations

  • 23 active student chapters across Texas

  • Successful advocacy leading to restored polling locations at major universities

  • Groundbreaking initiatives like the first HBCU Empowerment Summit


Texas Rising student leaders registered thousands of their peers to vote on our 23 campus chapters and then mobilized them to vote in November's election.

Local victories showcased our impact:

  • Passage of the Practical Abortion Fund in Austin

  • Securing a $1 million budget expansion for HART criminal justice reform

  • Successful opposition to book bans in Corpus Christi

  • Leading environmental justice advocacy in Brownsville

  • Establishing LGBTQIA+ safe spaces across campuses

  • Partnerships with El Paso City Council to pass resolutions and county proclamations in support of Transgender Day of Remembrance and LGBTQIA+ History Month

Texas Rising showed support for reproductive freedom and abortion access by advocating for abortion funds at city councils across the state.

Building Tomorrow’s Leaders


Camp Texas Rising is our signature event of the year. This year’s camp brought together over 75 young activists for intensive training in issue advocacy, civic engagement, and leadership development.

At Camp Texas Rising, we witnessed the emergence of a new generation of civic leaders. Our trainers were struck by the depth of expertise among young advocates leading campaigns and engaging in deep relational organizing work. 

Edwin Robinson, a trainer at Camp Texas Rising told us that he didn’t know rooms like the one he was in existed – where young people were leading campaigns, showing up as experts in their community, and doing deep relational work in their regions.

Texas Freedom Network broke new ground in youth leadership by launching the inaugural Texas Rising HBCU Empowerment Summit at Texas Southern University, drawing students from across the state. Building momentum, TFN hosted a Voter Engagement Summit at the University of Houston-Downtown and supported Prairie View A&M University students in organizing a Reproductive Rights Panel. Through these strategic initiatives, Texas Rising continues to cultivate a new generation of leaders committed to creating meaningful change.


In 2024, our Texas Rising team expanded its work with HBCUs through events across the state through events such as the HBCU Empowerment Summit and the March to Polls.

Texans will not back down.

It is more important now than ever to fight for our rights and freedoms at the Texas Capitol.
Join us as we prepare for the 2025 Legislative Session.