(Community Matters)  Austin sensation, multi-instrumentalist, Austin native Max Frost is playing Steve Adler’s runoff kickoff & fundraiser at the Belmont on Monday (Dec 1) 5:30 – 7:30 for sponsors & supporters. $20 general admission tickets available at the door at 6:45.

and . . . if you haven’t read Steve’s white paper about investing in Austin musicians, you should – here.  #Don’tTakeMusicans4Granted

(Community Matters) I find these brilliant and spectacularly expressive . . . 

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From BoredPanda: Susan Copich, actress and a mother of two from New York, has taken a darkly humorous approach towards traditional family photography with a series of daring images entitled “Domestic Bliss.”

Copich spent years taking pictures of her family, but when she reached her mid-forties, she realized that she was missing from almost every photo. That’s when she decided to take things into her own hands, creating photos that would reflect all of her feelings – even the ambiguous or negative ones.

“If you’ve met me, I have a very seemingly sunny disposition, but I have a whole interior world where at different times I’ve felt depression and angst. For many years, I put it in a little ball, and I decided to just explore it this time. It’s been so fun to bring those feelings out and give them light,” she says. Each image has what Susan calls a ‘twist of darkness’ that challenges the ordinary perception of family happiness.

(Community Matters) irresponsible journalism that ABJ even prints Ed’s statement that Yellow Cab’s ap is anything like Uber’s or Lyft’s & that it’s got “more local reach” than the aps of Uber & Lyft without a direct challenge. Ed doesn’t do himself any favors by stretching the truth on such easily refuted statements. Despite my enthusiasm for TNCs, I’m a taxi fan too and believe we ought to deregulate to level the playing field (lift caps on permits) while ensuring access for disabled (TNCs should have to provide access too) as well as liability coverage and public safety. Don’t get me started on Ed’s disingenuous statements about differences in liability coverage between the two models.

ABJ – The taxi empire strikes back: How Austin’s cab companies plan to compete against Uber, Lyft

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(Community Matters) Too many people who I know have generous hearts have posted statements which say to me they can’t even imagine – no where in their deepest emotional spheres do they have an inkling of – what it might be like to not be white, to be a Black man in most parts of this country. Maybe empathy isn’t one of their strengths; maybe . . . I don’t know why . . . . nevertheless, these friends & acquaintances are not intentionally racist. We should all read what this Black man (today a US Senator) wrote in 1992.

text of article below:

(Community Matters) Bob was an early mentor, supporter & friend.

(Community Matters) As I’m reading Mike’s guest editorial, I’m thinking to myself, good gosh . . . if this was the real Mike we wouldn’t have had to spend $1,000,000 & the last 10 months looking for a new way forward.

Have traffic, affordability, education or the quality of city services improved or gotten worse during the last 8 years?

No more putting lipstick on a pig and calling it a princess.

Slashing free rides for seniors and the disabled and borrowing tens of millions in order to establish a reserve while costs skyrocket and ridership declines does not constitute successful leadership at Capital Metro? Calling a press conference to announce you are the only proponent of the middle class, pledging to hold the line on taxes and fees, then voting to raise both the same week is more Paul Ryan than John Kennedy.

IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE AT CITY HALL.

Steve Adler represents change – read his guest editorial.

(Community Matters) Nice write-up on Josh Jones-Dilworth, who’s become a close friend, confidant and colleague. Increasingly, we work together on my most important projects. His firm adopted EF as their main pro-bono client a couple of years ago.  He’s wicked smart, funny and maybe even as idiosyncratic as I am. I like that we both endlessly entertain our staffs; I think they scratch their heads when we leave the room. ABJ profile

(Community Matters) Steven’s on a meditation retreat; he’s loving it. 

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• STEVEN’S TWEETS

  • “Elegance is refusal.” — Coco Chanel22 hours ago
  • “The antidote for exhaustion is wholeheartedness.” Br. David Steindl-Rast 2 days ago
  • The silence in the midst of conversation — that’s what trust sounds like.2 days ago
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(Community Matters) Asian Americans in Austin Unite for Adler!              

Wednesday, November 19 at Chinatown Center                                              

(Austin, TX – Nov 18, 2014)  After winning the endorsement of many leaders in the Latino and African American community, widespread support for Austin mayoral candidate Steve Adler continues to build for the December 16^th runoff.

Leaders of the Asian American community in Austin will join Adler at a press conference on Wednesday, November 19th.

It will be held at the Chinatown Center at 10901 N. Lamar Blvd. in North Austin. Upon arrival at the main gate, volunteers will direct the media to the press conference.

Hear why these leaders feel Adler is the only candidate for mayor who will move Austin forward and tackle the issues most important to all people in our city.

Adler has already been endorsed by the Network of Asian American Organizations Political Action Committee.     

What: Asian American Community Leaders for Adler

When: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at 10:30am             

Where: Chinatown Center at 10901 N. Lamar Blvd.

very successful – African American ministers, business & community leaders turned out big for Steve Adler.

(Community Matters) 

African Americans in Austin Unite for Adler!

Tuesday, November 18 at Carver Library

(Austin, TX – Nov 17, 2014) After winning the endorsement of many leaders in the Latino community, widespread support for Austin mayoral candidate Steve Adler continues to build for the December 16th runoff.
Lisa Byrd, Executive Director of the Austin African American Cultural Heritage District, Pastor Joseph Parker of David Chapel Missionary Church, Albert Black, Executive Director of Child Inc., Nelson Linder, NAACP President and others will join Adler at a press conference on Tuesday, November 18.
It will be held at the George Washington Carver Library and Museum at 1165 Angelina Street in East Austin at 2:30pm.
Hear why these leaders feel Adler is the only candidate for mayor who will move Austin forward and tackle the issues most important to all people in our city.

(Community Matters)  The Austin Monitor commissioned an independent poll by the renowned Public Policy Polling group.

Steve leads in every demographic group other than tied among Austin Democrats and winning 40% of Hispanics’ support. And, I believe his support among both of these groups is strengthening since Mike’s silly 30-year reach back. I love what a friend at St James told me Saturday night, “if all Mike could find on Steve is something from 30 years ago & it wasn’t even about him, Steve must be a really good guy.”

We know Mike Martinez will go nuclear as a result of this poll. He’s already trying to divide East v West Austin, Hispanic, African American, Asian and White Austinites. Please support Steve’s campaign and vote for a new way forward. 

The Austin Monitor story:

Monitor Poll: Adler’s lead over Martinez increasing

(Community Matters) 

my heart still sings when I see this man