Monica Guzmán and others attends a council meeting
Government leaders delay key vote on roles around multibillion-dollar Project Connect transit expansion
"Monica Guzmán with Go Austin/Vamos Austin, a group advocating for residents in Austin's Eastern Crescent, said she thinks the community advisory committee that provides input on Project Connect should have more say over key decisions.
"Without such commitments, Austin will continue its sordid, racist history," Guzmán said."
Residents can continue to call into council meetings safely after backpedaling of in-person mandates
City backtracks, now says people can testify by phone at public meetings
“The proverbial phone line had been cut. Now, it’s being restored.”
After pressure from residents, phone-in option restored for testimony.
Resident Irene testifies in front of Austin City Council. Photo credit ATXN
For the past year, Austinites could pick up the phone and yell during council meetings. not anymore
When you feel safe, Carmen Llanes Pulido said, you’re not only willing to show up but you’re also able to testify more honestly.
“People are able to bring their whole selves in when they’re able to speak from where they are,” Llanes Pulido, executive director of Go Austin Vamos Austin, said. “It paints a picture of the lives that people are living and the experience that’s informing their testimony.”
Photo credit: Michael Coghlan / CC BY-SA 2.0
Woman helps prepare her Austin, Texas, neighborhood for the next flood
Frances Acuña is getting residents ready for emergencies and is pushing the city to improve stormwater systems.
Erica Reyes, GAVA Organizer. MSDF Community-Led Health Report- July 2021
HOW TWO AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS DEFINED THEIR OWN GOALS TO DRIVE LASTING CHANGE
In just five years, a community-led health effort called Go Austin/Vamos Austin (GAVA) flattened obesity rates among adults in two low-income neighborhoods by addressing root causes.
KVUE- May 23rd 2021
GAVA coalition asking the City for more input on disaster prep
Monica Guzman with Go Austin Vamos Austin, a coalition of East Austin residents and community leaders, said the community needs to be part of the conversation to make sure their needs are met…
CBS Austin- May 19th, 2021
New reports find communities of color are overrepresented in Austin car crashes
A City of Austin report shows communities of color are overrepresented in fatal and serious crashes.
“The residents need to be recognized, they need to be centered when decisions are made,” Monica Guzmán of Go Austin/Vamos Austin said.
Austin Chronicle- April 30th, 2021
the opportunity to reimagine public satefy is here right now. Will AUstin take it?
"It's imperative that we see the city manager's office, staff, council, and the city as a whole make a public commitment," said Monica Guzmán of Go Austin/Vamos Austin.
The Daily Climate- April 12th, 2021
Op-ed: Flood Survivors find common ground in a divided nation
"We are not just complaining," said Frances Acuña, "we are offering choices and recommendations and offering to build a working relationship."
Frances Acuña helped win a citywide flood-control resolution, and she now advises local officials on green infrastructure and disaster response…
Austonia- March 26th, 2021
Austin takes 'leap of faith' to restart its police training academy after yearlong hiatus
"APD is not ready," Go Austin / Vamos Austin Policy Director Monica Guzmán said. "Our trust in the process has been violated."
Austin Monitor- March 2021
equity proponents push developers for better feedback in housing projects
“The city or a private entity is thinking in terms of how they communicate, and they don’t always know their audience or know the community. … You cannot assume that residents can log in to some internet site to watch you or have the means to get to your office downtown,” said Monica Guzman, policy director for Go Austin/Vamos Austin. “You need to come off the dais to meet them where they’re at – that means putting the info in a community newspaper because that’s where they’re getting their news from.”
Austin Monitor- January 2021
Council adopts new flood control resolution
Community organizers from Go Austin/Vamos Austin who spoke at the meeting celebrated the resolution but wanted to ensure it was more than just symbolic. They urged the city to restrict development in areas vulnerable to floods. One organizer, Frances Acuña, asked the city to “put in place strict regulations for localized flooding such as preventing increased impervious cover in neighborhood areas or in any redevelopment”…