Free Tales from Austin - An Exploration of Wealth Inequality

Creative Action uses the arts as a medium to inspire creativity, unlock potential, and transform the lives of students of all ages.

Color Squad is a collective of teen artists who work together to design and implement public and community art. Each year, we explore a theme that is important to our community, research that theme through a series of workshops and interactions, and then create art that reflects that theme.

Color Squad is a program of Creative Action.

Every Fall semester, Color Squad teens create a zine that addresses a problem in their communities. This year, our 17 teens chose Wealth Inequality as their topic of focus.

Free Tales of Austin delves into the past and present history of economic disparity in our capital city, while shining a light on organizations that are helping Austinites most in need. To gain a better perspective of this issue in Austin, we listened to speakers from BASTA Austin, GAVA, Austin Voices for Youth and Education, Texas Civil Rights Project, UT Austin, PODER, and ReThink35.

Using what they learned, our teens hope to share this important information through their artwork.

Thank you for supporting Color Squad!

Instagram: @colorsquadcollective 2023-2024

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The city of Austin offers rental assistance through Section 811 Project Rental A third of Travis County Assistance to three main residents are considered demographics: cost burdened , paying Those that over 30% of household struggle with housing security income toward housing due to serious expenses. mental illness.

Austin has been growing steadily, seeing a vital need for housing among new and existing inhabitants.

-HousingWorks

With The average rent being raised by 400$ since 2020, how are essential workers expected to afford to live within our city, especially those who do not qualify for Project Rental Assistance?

Affordable Central Texas (ACT)is :

“a non-profit that operates a for-profit social impact investment fund focused on acquiring and preserving workforce housing for moderate income individuals and families” -Kathy Denny, 12

Managing Director for ACT

Youth with

disabilities exiting foster care.

People with disabilities wishing to live independently from care facilities.

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In 2022, all traffic stops resulted in fines and fees totaling over $19 million.

These included non-safety violations such as failure to display registration tags and dark-tinted windows. Notably excluded were violations like speeding, disobeying traffic signals, and unsafe driving, which are the actual causes and contributing factors to road fatalities. Despite more than 160,000,000 traffic stops across 33 jurisdictions, no association has been found between police traffic stops and reduced 22traffic fatalities or injuries.

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As members of the Austin community, it’s important that we strive for a brighter future for everyone. Income inequality is rampant throughout Austin; it is only through collective strength that we can combat the injustices plaguing the people of Austin. We hope our art inspires you to continue to engage with the community and fight wealth disparity. It’s easy to feel as if your voice doesn’t matter, but it’s important that we uplift each other and amplify each other’s voices. Keep supporting local businesses. Keep listening to the people around you. Keep educating yourself and others. Thank you for reading.

Color Squad

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Special Thanks to: Max McQuarters - Rethink I-35 Michelle Mejia - GAVA Gabby Garcia - BASTA! Professor Javier Auyero Louis Malfaro - Austin Voices for Education and Youth Christopher Rivera - Texas Civil Rights Project Suzana Almanza - P.O.D.E.R. Pete Rivera

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ARTISTS Introduction / Izi Seitz......................................................pag.5 The Historic Segregation of Austin and Our Current Racial Wealth Gap / Callum Thomas........................................pag.6 The Historic Segregation of Austin and Our Current Racial Wealth Gap / Callum Thomas........................................pag.7 Gentrification in Austin / Anika Gullapalli......................pag.8 Developing Areas and Avoiding Gentrification / Jesse Kline..pag.9 Renting in Austin / Eva Davis.......................................pag.10 Cost of Living in Austin / Izi Seitz................................pag.11 The Need for Affordable Housing / Harper Herde.........pag.12 Anti Homelessness laws / Jack Wallace.....................pag.13 Child Care / Mari Zamora.................................................pag.14 Financial Aid 101 / Reyhan Kilic....................................pag.15

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ARTISTS Education Inequality / Auden Lisle.................................pag.16 Education Inequality / Auden Lisle.................................pag.17 Food Insecurity: What’s in Your Fridge? / Danny Roadhouse..pag.18 Red Bluff Nature Preserve / Aubrey Sotak....................pag.19 P.O.D.E.R. / Piper Jackson.............................................pag.20 Environmental Racism / Nova Woullard...........................pag.21 Traffic Safety and Civil Rights / Eva Chairez..................pag.22 Transportation / Kayla Hall............................................pag.23 TxDot New Ramen Special! / Simon Hepburn..............pag.24 Welfare in Texas / Reyhan Kilic....................................pag.25 Helpful Organizations / Callum Thomas.......................pag.26 Cover by Eva Davis

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For more information: colorsquad@creativeaction.org creativeaction.org

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