Civic Summit Spotlight
What does it take to survive in Texas? KLRU Civic Summit discusses poverty, andgiving families A Fighting Chance
Currently, there are 4.4 million Texans living in poverty; 1.8 million of those are Texas children. So what does it take for a family to survive and thrive in Texas? How do families stay afloat — or get back on their feet — when sudden disruptions to their financial situations, unplanned medical expenses or long-term unemployment strike?
These are the questions that will be explored by KLRU’s Civic Summit: What It Takes for Texas Families, airing on Thursday, December 13 at 8:30 p.m. The program, filmed at KLRU’s Studio 6A last week, is an open dialogue where community leaders, advocates and citizens discuss the challenges faced by Texas families attempting to stay above the poverty line.
Moderated by Sherri Greenberg, Director, Center for Politics and Governance at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, the panel includes staff from the Center for Public Policy Priorities and Foundation Communities.
In the open forum, the panel considers situations faced by the 4.4 million Texans living in poverty, situations highlighted by a new documentary short film A Fighting Chance. The film, produced by the Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP), in conjunction with Alpheus Media, will premiere on KLRU in advance of the Civic Summit.
A Fighting Chance chronicles the journeys of five Texas families — living in poverty — as they fight to meet their most basic needs. Some families struggle with putting food on the table, or finding stable jobs with living wages. Others fight to provide suitable housing for their family, or to meet the challenge of mounting medical bills after unforeseen medical complications arise.
The families featured in A Fighting Chance (from Austin, San Antonio and Bryan, TX) allow viewers into the very real struggles of their every day lives in order to expose the very harsh reality of poverty in our own backyard.
According to CPPP, the film aims to “shed light on what it really takes for families to survive and thrive in Texas” and “expose the tough choices these must make — sacrifices that most of us could not imagine.” A Fighting Chance is a heartfelt, honest, and eye-opening look at a staggering statistic for Texans.
Panelists for Civic Summit are joined by one of the family members chronicled in the documentary, adding additional perspective, and weight, to the comprehensive dialogue.
A Fighting Chanceairs on KLRU on Thursday, December 13 at 8 p.m. It will be followed by KLRU’s Civic Summit: What It Takes for Texas Families at 8:30 p.m.
Watch the trailer here: