MAKE AUSTIN ANTI-RACIST

$3.2 million grants seek to close racial gaps in income and wealth in Austin

The grant money provided to Austin will be used in partnership with UpTogether to launch a cash assistance program to help Black, Indigenous, and people of color purchase homes from the city’s land trust.

Photo by Desola Lanre-Ologun on Unsplash

A national partnership between leading financial institutions has chosen Austin among six total cities to delegate $3.2 million in grants to reduce income and wealth inequality in historically marginalized groups.

The multi-year Closing the Gaps Network initiative by Living Cities has long sought to support pathways for people of color to build wealth while working towards their overall goal of creating an anti-racist society through leadership and inclusive economic opportunities.

The grant money provided to Austin will be used in partnership with UpTogether, formerly the Family Independence Initiative, to launch a cash assistance program to help Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) purchase homes from the city’s land trust. UpTogether will also collaborate with other community-based organizations to provide equity resources and support for local BIPOC entrepreneurs.

In a press release, Living Cities CEO Joe Scantlebury discussed the two main ways for “any group of individuals to build wealth” – homeownership and small business ownership. Creating pathways for people of color to have their own businesses should be easier in Texas, considering it is the second best state to start a small business.

“Gaps in wealth between people of color and white people persist and it will take coordinated, direct action by leaders in cities to turn back the on-going legacy of systemic racism,” he said. “We believe that removing barriers to Black, Indigenous, and other people of color owning homes and small businesses is key for our nation’s future.”

The five other cities besides Austin that will also get a share of the $3.2 million grants are Albuquerque, New Mexico, Memphis, Tennessee, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, and Rochester, New York.

The grants were made possible with support from the Wells Fargo Foundation and Citi Foundation. In the release, Wells Fargo Foundation president Otis Rolley shared the importance of “restoring financial well-being” of BIPOC through locally-focused endeavors.

“We’re excited to see how each of the selected cities customizes solutions for the needs of their community as they work to close the racial wealth gap,” Rolley said. “At Wells Fargo, we are committed to strengthening underserved communities and opening up more ways for people to grow generational wealth.”

More information about the grants can be found on prweb.com.

bipoc finance Grant Funding anti-racism reducing inequality

santa's favorite city

Austin shines bright as No. 1 most festive city in U.S. for 2024

Photo by Maggie Boyd

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Austin's love for the holiday season is shining bright once again: The Capital City has been crowned the No. 1 most festive city in the nation for the third year in a row.

Austin has hung onto the coveted No. 1 spot on the holiday list since 2022, according to the recently released annual report by home services provider Thumbtack.

The study compiled data from millions of holiday light installation requests across all 50 states, between October 2023 and 2024, to reveal their list of the most festive cities in the nation.

Austinites have plenty of citywide light displays to pull inspiration from for their own homes, including the long-cherished Trail of Lights, Mozart's Annual Holiday Light Show, and many more.

Texas cities are far merrier than many other places in the country, with Dallas and Houston ranking just behind Austin as the No. 2 and No. 4 most festive American cities, respectively. San Antonio ranked No. 10 this year, after previously ranking No. 5 in the 2023 report.

Texans have to get creative when it comes to their holiday decorating, as the weather doesn't always cooperate with the classic "White Christmas" theme.

"In the milder climates, you probably won’t find a winter wonderland, but you might see plenty of twinkling lights, tinsel, and bold colors outside the traditional red, green, and white palette," the report's author wrote. "Neon baubles, vintage plastic Santa molds, and playful LED lights keep properties festive and bright. Native eucalyptus, olive branches, and succulents are used as greenery in place of traditional pine and fir."

Outsourcing that outdoor holiday decorating will cost a pretty penny, according to Thumbtack's analysts. The study said the average cost to hire a holiday lighting specialist can range from $168-$300, depending on the scope of the project and home size. Thumbtack also recommends that Austinites avoid hiring a lighting specialist during Thanksgiving weekend, which is the time period that sees the highest demand.

Thumbtack's top 10 most festive U.S. cities in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Austin, Texas
No. 2 – Dallas, Texas
No. 3 – Seattle, Washington
No. 4 – Houston, Texas
No. 5 – San Francisco, California
No. 6 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 7 – Sacramento, California
No. 8 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 9 – Raleigh, North Carolina
No. 10 – San Antonio, Texas

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