Texas Advocacy Project

05/06/2026

We love seeing creative ways the legal community comes together to celebrate culture, honor trailblazers, and support access to justice.

LAWteria (a twist on the classic game Loteria!) combines fun, history, and impact, highlighting Hispanic firsts in the legal field while raising support for this year's State Bar of Texas access to justice initiative, Stand with Santos, benefiting the Texas Access to Justice Foundation.

A meaningful reminder that representation matters, and that expanding access to justice takes all of us. ⚖️✨ Learn more at https://www.teajf.org/donate/LawTeria.aspx

Join the Hispanic Lawyers Section for LAWteria!! Same game you grew up with but with a twist---some of the cards are of "Hispanic 1sts" in the law---who do you recognize? Have fun, learn some important history and support a great cause---the Stand with Santos Campaign supporting the Texas Access to Justice Foundation!

05/06/2026

Our team was honored to attend the Houston Astros Foundation Community Partners Reception at Daikin Park alongside incredible leaders and advocates committed to supporting survivors and strengthening communities across our state.

Pictured:
Debbie Tate, Amanda Elkanick Oder, and Maisha Colter with James Drexler.

We’re especially grateful to the Astros Foundation for recognizing domestic violence as one of its core pillars and for investing in organizations working every day to support survivors and build safer communities across Texas. ⚾✨

05/05/2026

A powerful night for access to justice. ✨

Our team had the honor of attending the Champions of Justice Gala hosted by the Texas Access to Justice Commission, joining partners and champions across Texas who are working to ensure justice is within reach for all.

We were proud to attend alongside our board member Brian Prewitt at the Jackson Walker LLP table, and to be in community with leaders like former Chief Justice Nathan Hecht.

It was also a special moment to reconnect with Eden Klein, a former TAP law clerk now with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, and a fellow member of the Poverty Law Council.

Access to justice is built through collaboration, and we are grateful to stand alongside so many dedicated partners in this work. 🤍

05/01/2026

If you missed the Town Hall yesterday, you can now watch the full recording and explore the findings.

When access to safety depends on geography, we still have work to do.

Watch the recording and learn more: https://youtu.be/1_j-ZBONQWI

Thank you to the Texas Bar Foundation for supporting this important work!

TAP Public Webinar | Protective Orders in Texas: 2025 Statewide Survey Findings

04/30/2026

A firearm in an abusive situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%. That’s why protective orders restrict access to fi****ms under both Texas and federal law, and why consistent firearm surrender protocols matter so much for survivor safety.

But access still varies by county. In Texas, too many communities are operating without clear surrender protocols, even though we know they save lives.

Our latest Protective Orders in Texas study highlights where progress is happening and where gaps remain, so communities can strengthen the systems that keep families safe.

Domestic violence is not rare.
1 in 3 Texas women will experience it.
Our response should reflect that reality.

🎧Listen to the full conversation from the podcast episode and explore the study findings at https://www.texasadvocacyproject.org/Protective-Orders-TX-Report.

04/28/2026

Protective orders can reduce repeat violence by up to 80%, yet survivors still encounter differences in requirements, procedures, and access depending on local practices that are not written into state law.

If access to justice changes by county, we need to understand why.

Texas Advocacy Project’s Protective Orders in Texas: 2025 Statewide Survey of County Policies and Practices is the most comprehensive snapshot of protective order implementation in more than a decade.

Join us April 30 at 11 AM CT as we walk through what we found, where progress is happening, and where barriers to safety still exist across Texas.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/g9IWkQB7RpyBbNcJxTbPFg #/registration

04/24/2026

Why do you want to be a Teen Ambassador of Hope?

The answers range from heartfelt to hilarious, especially the last one. 😂💬

These students are learning how to recognize healthy relationships, support their peers, and take action in their communities, and they are already making a real impact.

Together, the Teen Ambassadors of Hope have raised $7,782 toward their $10,000 goal! 🎉

🗓 Austin fundraising ends Sunday, 4/26
🗓 Dallas fundraising ends Saturday, 5/2

Help them cross the finish line and support youth-led change across Texas:
https://app.betterunite.com/taoh

04/23/2026

Standardizing access to protective order assistance can save lives. If you are a survivor of stalking, human trafficking, dating or domestic violence, child abuse, or sexual assault and the county you live in does not provide legal help through your local prosecutor's office, we're here for you - call us at 800.374.HOPE or fill out our online intake form.

04/22/2026

23% of the Texas counties who responded to our survey said that they require a police report in order to provide legal assistance to a survivor seeking a protective order, even though TX law states that a police report is NOT required to obtain a protective order.

This leaves the survivor alone in their fight to get basic legal protection from an abuser and creates barriers on the path towards freedom. TX law has already removed this barrier to survivor safety and it is vital that we continue to align county standards with existing state legislation.

That is why FREE legal services are so important in assisting survivors. Texas Advocacy Project DOES NOT require you to have a police report in order to get assistance with your protective order. In fact, we understand that leaving and seeking help are one of the most dangerous times for a survivor and is when they would need a protective order the most.

We're here for you. For protective order support call (800)-374-HOPE or go to TexasAdvocacyProject.org to fill out our online intake form.

Learn more about our 2025 Protective Order Report at https://buff.ly/ZMc33jY
or watch the entire episode about it at https://buff.ly/gS6OCi3
or listen on Spotify: https://buff.ly/U55tyYF

04/20/2026

There is nothing like seeing a number that means real safety, real access to justice, and real support for survivors across Texas. 💙

Our Chief Development & Marketing Officer, Debbie Tate, had the joy of attending the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Awards Reception, generously hosted by Chubb, where Texas Advocacy Project was honored with a $15,000 gift to help power free legal services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and child abuse.

Debbie is pictured here with longtime friend of TAP and board member, Tiffany Shillito, and our new friend, Laura Farmer, celebrating a moment that represents partnership, trust, and a shared commitment to making sure survivors can access the legal protections they deserve.

We are deeply grateful to the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation for standing with survivors and investing in safer futures across our state. ✨

04/20/2026

This weekend marked our first-ever Teen Ambassadors of Hope training in Dallas, and we were inspired by a room full of thoughtful, focused young leaders ready to make a difference. A special thank you to Meg Poag, CEO of Mission Squared, for sharing her leadership insights and encouraging this incredible group as they begin their fundraising journey.

Together, our Austin + Dallas Teen Ambassadors set a goal of raising $10,000 to support survivors across Texas, and they are already halfway there 🎉

Want to help them cross the finish line? Support their campaigns here:
https://app.betterunite.com/taoh

Your encouragement helps young leaders turn compassion into action.

Session Sponsor
Lawton & Craig Cummings

Impact Sponsors
Watercolor Financial
Tara & Russ McCurry
Airco Austin
The UGLI Foundation

Empowerment Sponsors
Bill Dickson
MFI Foundation
Jackson Walker LLP
Cantilo & Bennett
Amanda Myers

Friend of Teen Ambassadors
Dawn & Jim Pepper
Nhi & Brian Prewitt