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, [email protected],(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 […]
Jolt’s Voter Registration Program Reaches Sought-After Latino Demographic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, July 28, 2022 CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, [email protected], (512) 767-2978 JOLT’S VOTER REGISTRATION PROGRAM REACHES SOUGHT-AFTER LATINO DEMOGRAPHIC Jolt Initiative, a nonprofit that increases the civic engagement of Latinos to build a stronger democracy and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, is proud to announce it has registered nearly 7,000 voters in […]
Diana Maldonado hired as Jolt’s Interim Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, July 18, 2022 CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, [email protected] , 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, [email protected] , 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, [email protected] , 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, [email protected], (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, [email protected], (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, [email protected], (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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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 […]
The Omicron variant surge in Texas – everything you need to know
By now, everyone probably knows someone who has had COVID-19 in the past few weeks. Following the holidays, we knew cases would surge, but few would have predicted that the omicron variant would push the United States past 1,000,000 case-per-day. 1 out of every 3 Texans is testing positive for COVID-19 and the numbers continue […]
All eyes on Texas as voting rights legislation showdown heats up
Texas politicians have left no stone unturned in their effort to determine if any irregularities occurred in the 2020 election. Recent election audits in Harris, Dallas, Tarrant and Collin counties have returned very few discrepancies from the original vote counts – nothing even close to changing any election results. This comes on the heels of […]
One Year Later, The Big Lie Continues To Harm Our Democracy
One year ago today, violent right-wing extremists stormed the U.S. Capitol building in an attempted insurrection that former President Donald Trump incited. In their false belief of defending democracy, the mob very nearly destroyed our democracy, as they brutalized capitol police officers and desecrated our nations’ historic Capitol building in their effort to stop the […]
Sen. Manchin’s Opposes Build Back Better Legislation, Bill Isn’t Necessarily dead
Austin, Texas – On Sunday morning, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin went on Fox News to announce that he will not vote for the Build Back Better Act (BBB), dealing a major blow to President Joe Biden’s agenda. Without Manchin’s vote, the bill will not pass, and the American people will be denied the support […]
Latinos were denied political representation in Texas: Here’s How We Fight Back.
Written by Jolt Political Specialist Jen Ramos Austin, TX – When data was released for Texas in 2020’s census, there was much to celebrate for communities of color. In spite of a statewide government that has gone out of its way to silence the voices of Texans, data indicated that Latinos experience a 2 million […]
#CutMethane: The hidden danger lighting up Texas skies
If you were to fly into space above Texas at night and look down, you might see something surprising. You could look down and see clusters of light pollution and probably recognize the big cities: Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. You could even make guesses about other clusters on the fringes: Amarillo, El Paso, […]
Cafécito y Chisme: Congress Passed the Infrastructure Bill – What It Means for Tejanos!
Last week, Congress passed $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill to fix roads, bridges and much more. The bill now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk, where it will be signed into law. At Jolt, we took a look at what passed, and we are here to help you understand how this could impact our Latino communities here in Texas.
Welcome to the Jolt Familia – November 2021
Jen Ramos Jen joins the Jolt Familia as a Political Specialist on the Political team. In this role, her responsibilities include conducting research and analysis of public policy relevant to our constituents. In addition, she will draft internal policy briefs, monitor and track development to aid Jolt’s youth leadership development and voter education efforts. “I’m […]
Early Voting is here – What You Need To Know!
Early Voting is upon us and Texas voters can now weigh in on potential changes to the state’s Constitution. With 8 amendments on the ballot including eligibility requirements for judges, religious services, county infrastructure, and more here is what you need to know ahead of early voting! Election day is Nov. 2, and early voting […]
Jolt Artist in Residence Applications Now Open – Apply Now!
Jolt Action and Jolt Initiative, the largest progressive Latino civic engagement organization in Texas, is searching for talented visual, graphic, multi-media artists to participate in Jolt’s Artist in Residence program. We are seeking an Artist in Residence (AiR) for each of the following programs: 1 – Jolt General/Fundraising AiR 1 – 5 Year Anniversary AiR […]
Submit Your Dia De Los Muertos Ofrenda
As a community we honor and commemorate our beloved departed in many ways. This year for the first time, JOLT has created a dedicated online space on our website for an Ofrenda/Virtual Alter to share our memories and offerings. Familia, no matter where you are, you are invited to create your own altar at home and share with the […]
Statement From Jolt’s Executive Director On The Senate Special Committee on Redistricting
AUSTIN, Texas — The following is a statement from Jolt Action and Jolt Initiative Executive Director Dr. Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia on the Senate Special Committee on Redistricting. “As the state Legislature begins its third special legislative season, Jolt will be closely watching the redistricting process to ensure Latinos throughout Texas are fairly represented. The 2020 U.S. Census found […]