Record Breaking Texas Primary Turnout Signals Rising Latino and Youth Power; Jolt Action Endorses James Talarico for U.S. Senate
Following record participation in the 2026 Texas Democratic Primary, Jolt Action announced its endorsement of Rep. James Talarico for U.S. Senate, highlighting the growing influence of young and Latino voters shaping the future of Texas politics.
Jolt Action Announces First Primary Endorsements in Organization’s History, Backing Hinojosa, Crockett and Full Slate for 2026 Texas Democratic Primary
Jolt Action Announces First Primary Endorsements in Organization’s History, Backing Hinojosa, Crockett and Full Slate for 2026 Texas Democratic Primary Austin, Texas — In a historic first for the leading Latino civic engagement organization, Jolt Action today unveiled its full slate of endorsed candidates for the 2026 Texas Democratic Primary. This marks the first time […]
Jolt Action Statement on Fatal Border Patrol Shooting in Minneapolis
AUSTIN, TX – Following the second fatal shooting of a community member by federal agents in Minneapolis this month, Jolt Action Executive Director Jackie Bastard issued the following statement: “Once again, we are witnessing the lethal reality of a federal force that operates as if it is above the law. In broad daylight and captured […]
When the Government Fails, We Feed Each Other
Millions of Texans are losing access to SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. Across the state, food banks, churches, and neighbors are stepping up to make sure no one goes hungry. Find food pantries, meal programs, and volunteer opportunities in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.
National Voter Registration Day Statement
National Voter Registration Day Statement As Texas’s largest Latino civic engagement organization, Jolt Action is proud to celebrate National Voter Registration Day. Our vote is our voice and one of the most powerful tools we have to create meaningful change in our communities. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to empowering Latino Texans to exercise their […]
Jolt Action Statement on Supreme Court’s Immigration Enforcement Ruling
Jolt Action Statement on Supreme Court’s Immigration Enforcement Ruling The Supreme Court’s ruling to stay Judge Frimpong’s crucial ruling that protected millions of Latinos from discriminatory immigration enforcement practices, is a direct attack on the Latino community. This dangerous decision effectively enables racial profiling and undermines the basic civil rights of Latino communities across the […]
Jolt Action Condemns Passage of House Bill 4
Jolt Action Condemns Passage of House Bill 4 Jolt Action strongly condemns the passage of House Bill 4, a blatant attempt by Texas Republicans to further entrench their power through manipulative redistricting of Texas’ congressional districts. This bill, which was rushed through the House and Senate, represents a direct assault on fair representation and particularly […]
Jolt Condemns Abbott’s Redistricting Power Grab During Crisis
Jolt Action Condemns Abbott’s Redistricting Power Grab During Crisis At a time when many Texans are suffering from an unprecedented natural disaster, Governor Abbott has chosen to prioritize a partisan power grab through redistricting. This calculated move to redraw district lines is a direct attack on the Latino voting power and is an attempt to […]
Jolt Denounces Intimidation Tactics Ahead of Immigration Protests in Texas
Jolt Denounces Intimidation Tactics Ahead of Immigration Protests in Texas Austin, TX – June 12, 2025 – As attacks on Latinos escalate, Jolt Action stands steadfast in protecting our fundamental right to be heard. With the unfolding events in Los Angeles and across the country, we unequivocally condemn the attacks on our community. Governor Abbott’s […]
Victory for Democracy as SB 16 Fails to Pass, Preserving Fair Voting Rights for Millions of Texans
Victory for Democracy as SB 16 Fails to Pass, Preserving Fair Voting Rights for Millions of Texans Austin, TX – Jolt Action celebrates a significant victory for democracy with the failure of Senate Bill 16 (SB 16). This dangerous proposal would have required unnecessary proof of citizenship to register to vote, disenfranchising millions of Texans, […]
Statement from Jolt Action Executive Director Jackie Bastard on the Passage of Texas State Senate Bill 2
Statement from Jolt Action Executive Director Jackie Bastard on the Passage of Texas State Senate Bill 2 The passing of Senate Bill 2, which establishes a private school voucher program in Texas, is a profoundly disappointing moment for our state. This isn’t just bad policy; it’s a betrayal. A betrayal of students in marginalized communities, […]
Tell Texas State Affairs Committee to STOP restrictive County Voting Bill
Tell Texas State Affairs Committee to STOP restrictive County Voting Bill Protect voting rights in Texas! SB 76 is a proposed bill that seeks to eliminate the Countywide Polling Place Program in Texas. This program allows voters to cast their ballot at any polling location in their county, providing flexibility and convenience that has proven […]
Jackie Bastard Appointed Executive Director of Jolt Action and Jolt Initiative
Jackie Bastard Appointed Executive Director of Jolt Action and Jolt Initiative A tenured leader, Jackie is poised to lead Jolt in empowering Latino communities AUSTIN, Texas (January 20, 2025) — Jolt Action and Jolt Initiative are proud to announce that Jackie Bastard has been named Executive Director. This marks a significant milestone for the organizations […]
Jolt Action stands with UT protestors: Condemning Arrests
Jolt stands with UT protestors: Condemning Arrests Jolt Action firmly supports the empowerment of young civic engagement and peaceful assembly, which are essential components of protecting our democracy. For that reason, we condemn the arrests that were made at The University of Texas at Austin during the recent student protests. The students involved in the […]
Jolt Action Responds To SB-17
Jolt Action Responds to SB-17 As we bear witness to the unjust effects of Texas’ new diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) laws, Jolt remains committed to transforming Texas into a state where Latinos are well-represented and treated with fairness and respect. We manifest this commitment by condemning Senate Bill 17, 88(R) SB-17, which led to […]
Featured In: Austin American Statesmen
Featured In: Austin American Statesmen Following excerpts from: Texas Latinos as large a voting bloc as ever. What this means for Democrats and Republicans (Emiliano Tahui Gómez | Austin American-Statesman) Published February 16th, 2024 – Read Full Story Here “The 2024 election will be the first since the U.S. Census Bureau announced last year that Latinos […]
Eras of Latino Activism
Artwork by Artist in Residence: Jasmine Mitchell ¡Celebra nuestras eras! Just like mamá Swift, Latino rights have gone through precedent-setting stages that demand commemoration. In celebrating these pivotal eras, we honor the resilience and strength embedded in the Latino rights journey: (Bottom left grey) We begin in 1903, with the Oxnard Strike breaking racial divides […]
Together, Se Puede! Jolt plays part in boosting Houston’s Latino Representation
Together, Se Puede! Jolt plays part in boosting Houston’s Latino Representation In the heart of Houston, where Latino representation has long been lacking, Jolt has played a pivotal role in reshaping the local political landscape. For an entire decade, Robert Gallegos stood as the sole representative of the Latino community on the 16-seat City Council. […]
Jolt Election Reflection 2023
Jolt Election Reflection 2023 Hon. Diana Maldonado, Jolt Executive Director Following the recent midterm elections earlier this month in Texas, I recalled a conversation I had a decade ago with my late father when I was a candidate on the ballot, when he asked me to take him to the poll tax. Looking at him […]
History of Latinos in Texas
History of Latinosin Texas A partial timeline by the Jolt Team Photos do not belong to us – for Educational Use 1500s Texas was settled by Spanish Colonists When Mexico won its independence from Spain, Texas became the property of Mexico. In the 1800s the population was growing quickly; the population was not only Mexican […]
Yes, Latinos! We are the future of Texas
Yes, Latinos! We are the future of Texas Emma Luisa Lopez, Policy Associate at Jolt Before 1953, only two Latinas/os had served in the Texas state legislature. This is not long ago; our parents and abuelos lived it. It took 60 legislative sessions for the Mexican American Legislative Caucus to have enough members to form. […]
Texas Lege Wrap-up 2023
In 2023, there were a handful of bills on Jolt’s radar tied to the very core of our mission that would significantly impact the Latino/a community in Texas. We compiled a list to focus on those that have a direct effect on our community in the areas of Democracy for all, Education, Healthcare, Immigration, and […]
Celebrating the Influential Women in Our Lives: A Letter from our Executive Director
Recalling my fond memories of growing up in a small border town in Eagle Pass brings to mind the strong women who helped shape my life. Where I grew up there were limited academic and economic growth opportunities to do what I dreamt of- becoming a champion for education and a voice of democracy for […]
Jolt Action Levántate y Lucha Institute Develops Tomorrow’s Leaders Today
Youth Community Organizing Training in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio on March 25 Austin, TX – Jolt Action announced today the nonprofit organization’s Levántate y Lucha Institute will offer free in-person training events for young community leaders in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio on Saturday, March 25 from 10 am to 2 pm. Jolt is […]
Jolt Calls For On-Campus Early Voting Sites in Austin Runoff
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, November 17, 2022 CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, media@jolttx.org,(512) 767-2978 JOLT CALLS FOR ON-CAMPUS EARLY VOTING SITES IN AUSTIN RUNOFF ELECTION AUSTIN, Texas – Jolt Action has joined a coalition of civic engagement groups calling for Travis County to create more early voting locations on college campuses for the December Runoff […]
Diana Maldonado hired as Jolt’s Interim Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, July 18, 2022 CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, christine@jolttx.org , 512-767-2978 AUSTIN, Texas – Today, Diana Maldonado was named the new Interim Executive Director of Jolt Action and Jolt Initiative. A community, political and educational leader in the Central Texas region, Maldonado will drive forward the organizations’ mission to harness the power of […]
We must teach the truth about the past to build a brighter future
Jolt Action believes every student deserves the most accurate and quality education we can give them, and that means teaching the truth about our history. At Jolt, we celebrate our shared values as Texans from all walks of life. No matter where we come from, all Texans want the freedom to learn. We take pride […]
The Supreme Court ruling harms our health – help us push for a clean future
Join Jolt Action in calling for President Biden to protect our families from pollution and invest in clean energy solutions. From the Gulf Coast to the Permian Basin, all Texans deserve to breathe clean air wherever we live, work and spend time with our families. We need sensible laws that protect our health and keep […]
First Black female lawyer sworn in to nation’s highest court
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, June 30, 2022 CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, christine@jolttx.org , 512-767-2978 Ketanji Brown Jackson made history when she was sworn in as the first Black female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States this afternoon. She previously served on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and […]
Jolt calls for accountability in death of 50 migrants
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, June 28, 2022 CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, christine@jolttx.org , 512-767-2978 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS — Jolt Action joins the community in mourning the death of at least 50 migrants who were found dead in an abandoned big rig in San Antonio on Monday in what is believed to be the deadliest human […]
Overturning of Roe v Wade is an attack on our human rights and dignity
Today the Supreme Court set us back 50 years by overturning Roe v. Wade in a 6-3 vote. The federal ruling protected a person’s right to legally get an abortion and now leaves individual states free to ban or drastically limit the right to a procedure that Americans have had since 1973. Texas’ ‘trigger law’ […]
Jolt Action thanks Jessica Cisneros for inspiring Congressional run
In 2020 and again in 2022, Jessica Cisneros showed us how to fight for Latino communities across Texas. Her determination as a young Latina lawyer running for public office has inspired the next generation of young Latinos to get involved in civic engagement. We want to thank Jessica for her lifelong commitment to championing Texas […]
Jolt’s Executive Director to Step Down
Austin, Texas FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 17, 2022 CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, christine@jolttx.org, (512) 767-2978 Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia is stepping down as Executive Director of Jolt Action and Jolt Initiative this summer. A lifelong educational and political leader in the Central Texas community, Gonzales-Dholakia has left an indelible mark at Jolt, which harnesses the power of […]
10 years later, DACA recipients’ futures hang in the balance
Juan Belman migrated from Mexico to Austin in 2003, and now he works as a program manager at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He is one of 600,000 young migrants across the country who qualified for limited protection from deportation and authorization to work under former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) […]
Attack on trans children is a health crisis, but you can help
Texas lawmakers’ attack on the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans children and their families, has shaken the community to its core by threatening its family foundation, its education, its safety, and even its health. Health care providers across Texas have restricted critical treatment to trans teens because of the fear of legal consequences and the threat […]
Recount could secure win for Jessica Cisneros
Austin, Texas FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, christine@jolttx.org, (512) 767-2978 Jolt Action proudly endorsed Jessica Cisneros for the U.S. Congress to represent Texas’ 28th Congressional District. From the Rio Grande Valley to San Antonio, Texans from all walks of life deserve a Representative who shares our values and understands our […]
Jolt joins Voto Latino’s Stand with Uvalde fundraising event
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 3, 2022 CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, christine@jolttx.org, (512) 767-2978 Jolt Action stands in solidarity with the Uvalde community and announces its allyship with Voto Latino, a grassroots political organization focused on educating and empowering a new generation of Latino voters, as it hosts a call-to-action event in San Antonio to stand […]
Tragic shooting claims lives of 19 children, 2 adults
TEXAS — Our hearts go out to the Uvalde, Texas community that is grappling with the senseless loss of 14 children and 1 teacher during the Robb Elementary School shooting earlier today. Our hearts go out to the Uvalde, Texas community that is grappling with the senseless loss of 19 children and 2 adults during […]
Election Day is a chance for Latinos to make their voices heard through power of their vote
The 2022 Texas Election Primary is in full swing and is the last opportunity for voters to make their voices heard in close races ahead of the November election. The 2022 Texas Election Primary is in full swing and is the last opportunity for voters to make their voices heard in close races ahead of […]
Jolt Action Endorses Jessica Cisneros for U.S. Congress in TX-28
Jolt Action is endorsing Jessica Cisneros for U.S. Congress to represent Texas’ 28th Congressional District. From the Rio Grande Valley to San Antonio, Texans from all walks of life deserve a Representative who shares our values and understands our communities. Jessica was born and raised in the 28th district in Laredo, Texas, and is a […]
Jolt Action endorses Rochelle Garza for Texas Attorney General
Jolt Action is endorsing Rochelle Garza for Texas Attorney General, in our first endorsement of the 2022 election cycle. It is time to elect the first Latina attorney general in Texas history, and Rochelle Garza has the values and experience necessary to lead our state forward. We encourage everyone to vote for Rochelle Garza in […]
7 facts to change how you think about clean energy and the Texas power grid
From Houston to El Paso, every Texan should be able to live and work where the air is clean. But whenever we turn on a light switch, our power is coming from a grid with outdated and unclean sources of energy like coal power. Sabias que, there are 19 coal-fired power plants in Texas? Es […]
Jolt’s Levántate y Lucha Institute brings Latinos together to train the next generación of leaders
Jolt’s Levántate y Lucha Institute will return on April 2nd and 9th to bring Latinos together to connect with our history and culture, in addition to learning how to organize our communities for change. After a major success at the Levántate y Lucha Institute in February, the program will return with a new cohort to […]
New Study Highlights Social Factors Behind Latino Education Gap
AUSTIN, TEXAS – A new study from the Southern Education Foundation, SEF, highlights the challenges faced by Latino, Black, and Low-Income students across Texas. The report is called Economic Vitality and Education in the South (EVES), and it demonstrates that in the year before the pandemic, Latino students lagged behind white students in average student […]
Ballots By Mail Are A Mess In Texas. This Could Have Been Avoided
AUSTIN, TX – From the beaches of the Gulf to the West Texas desert, Texans take pride in our independence, love to spend time with our families and keep each other safe. That’s why when it comes to voting, we want to be able to find the best option for each person in our family. […]
Jolt Release Inaugural Candidate ‘Vibe Check’ For March 1 Election
For Immediate Release Feb. 15, 2022 Contact: media@jolttx.org AUSTIN — Jolt Action, the largest Latino progressive organization in Texas focused on building the political power and influence of young Latinos, released its Primary Election Candidate ‘Vibe Check’ today, which rates candidates on their positions on Jolt’s core values, in advance of the March 1 primary. […]
Texans Must Register By Jan. 31 to Vote in March Primary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2022 Media Contact: media@jolttx.org Texans Must Register By Jan. 31 to Vote in March Primary AUSTIN, TX — Jolt Initiative, a non-profit organization that increases the civic participation of Latinos in Texas to build a stronger democracy and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, is reminding Texans that […]
Voter Registration Capacity Limited By Paper Supply Chain Shortage Highlights The Need For Online Voter Registration
AUSTIN, TEXAS – The Texas Secretary of State admitted Tuesday that Texas is in short supply of the voter registration forms the state gives out to organizations registering Texans to vote. The Secretary of State’s office told reporters at KUT that it was harder and more expensive to get paper. As a result, organizations registering […]
Save the Date: 2022 Texas Primary Election Early Voting is Almost Here
It’s that time of year already! Early voting for the 2022 Texas Primary Election begins on February 14th. ¡Que Romantico! You can take that special someone to the polls with you and get voting done as early as possible. Whether you vote early, on election day, or you still need to register, Jolt has you […]
2022 Sees Historic Number Of Latino Candidates Running For Texas Public Office – Here’s How You Can Be Next!
AUSTIN, TEXAS – The 2022 Texas Primaries are now less than two months away. It is already shaping up to be a victory for Latinos at least in the number of Latinos running for office at every level of government across the state. 388 of the candidates on the ballot are Latinos. This is a […]