This is our first VIDEO episode! You can watch on YouTube! Subscribe, share with friends, and do not forget to add us on social media!

The format of this episode is a little different due to all the announcements and progress we have made over the last two weeks. So we start the show with a little introduction and a description of what listeners can expect. The meat of the episode is Judge Tim O'Hare's Racial Gerrymandering attempt by redistricting our precincts in the middle of a census period with NO NEW DATA!

The trio discusses its impact on Fort Worth and why our leadership is not doing more. They also ignited a conversation about what our city council can do now that Democrats have the majority of the seats. Enjoy the show!

SHORT STORY #1: Welcome to our first video show!

SHORT STORY #2: Welcome Wesley Kirk as 817 Producer

SHORT STORY #3: What to expect from the podcast

BIG STORY: Tarrant County Redistricting Efforts and How it Harms All of US

City Council adopts as a resolution in opposition to Tarrant County's redistricting.

Articles: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/05/20/fort-worth-council-narrowly-opposes-tarrant-county-redistricting-along-partisan-lines/ County Commissioners Court flooded with opposition.

https://fortworthreport.org/2025/05/20/residents-voice-their-support-concerns-over-tarrant-countys-contentious-redistricting-process/

The Grand Prairie city council unanimously encouraged the Tarrant County commissioners court to maintain the current precinct lines and reject the proposed lines.

Articles: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJ5sd15uMg0/?igsh=MTl0dzJ1eHEyOGZqMg%3D%3D

WINS, LOSSES, and ACTIONS

👎 LOSS: A tremendous loss is the Tarrant County racial gerrymandering process that they WILL get away with 

👍 WIN: People are mobilizing, and we have an opportunity to dismantle the Fort Worth Way

📣 ACTIONS: Sign up for the June 3rd Commissioners Court where they will make the final vote!

Today, we have a deep and intimate conversation with Jarred Howard, CEO of the National Juneteenth Museum. We discuss how to celebrate Juneteenth in 2025 with NJM at their inaugural Freedom Vibes Festival. You can get your tickets now.

As usual, the pod has three short stories before the big story. We will update you on redistricting and how Fort Worth has amassed a million people, passing Austin!

Short Stories #1: Has Fort Worth become a Top 10 City?

- Monumental milestone: Fort Worth population officially exceeds 1 million

- Discord conversation about Tarrant County's growth

- Strong Towns

Short Stories #2: What to know about redistricting in Tarrant County

- Tarrant residents say their voices are going unheard in fierce debate over redistricting

Short Stories #3 Mayors and cities start standing up against redistricting

- Arlington Mayor raises concerns, calls for investigation of Tarrant County redistricting plan

- Fort Worth Will Propose a Resolution on Tuesday 

BIG STORY: Conversation with Jarred Howard with the National Juneteenth Museum

Wins and Losses

Ann:

👎 FW Council Meeting on the same day and time as the commissioners court

👍 Seeing family in California

EJ:

👎 Latino leaders lack strategy and are unaware of redistricting

👍 Get involved with the 817 Gather Community

This is a complete show, starting with the cancellation of six figures of NEA funding in North Texas. Mercy Culture breaks ground on its new center, and top county officials praise it. The big story is redistricting updates, and where does funding go in Tarrant and Texas?

COMMUNITY UPDATES:

Join the Discord

RSVP for the 817 Gather

SHORT STORY #1: North Texas arts groups have lost over $280,000 in NEA funding

- Fort Worth groups lose $110K in NEA funds to transform former KKK hall after Trump move

SHORT STORY #2: Mercy Culture Church breaks ground on shelter for human trafficking victims, with plans for more

- Mercy Culture backs church elder facing dueling reports on sexual misconduct allegations

SHORT STORY #3: Redistricting Updates: 

- Redistricting: Racial Discrimination in Tarrant

- This is not Democracy. It’s Manipulation

- Legal Letter from Texas Civil Rights Project, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, and ACLU Texas

BIG STORY: Tarrant Democrats Funding the Far Right

- Texas megadonor Alex Fairly joined forces with the GOP’s ultraconservative wing. He didn’t like what he saw.

WINS AND LOSSES:

Ann:

👎 State Legislative Session

👍 GREENPrint

EJ:

👎 Michael Crain

👍 Redistricting Collaboration

-

Ann and EJ review the election results. Turnout was at its lowest level in over a decade, yet extremism lost. What does this mean moving forward as we prepare for Tim O'Hare's obsession with gerrymandering Tarrant County? Sign up to make your voice heard!

Join the online community.

Come to the 817 Gather on May 18th!

SHOW NOTES:

SHORT STORY #1: Election Results

SHORT STORY #2: Tarrant County confirms first measles case

- Tarrant health officials issue warning about possible measles exposure in Arlington 

SHORT STORY #3: Tim O'Hare's Christian Nationalism event

BIG STORY: Tim O'Hare Redistricting Agenda Can Ruin Tarrant for Decades

- "They’re trying to redraw the map to drown out our voices. I won’t stand by while Precinct 2 voters are pushed to the sidelines." - Commissioner Simmons

- Tim O'Hare's game plan

WINS AND LOSSES

Ann:

👎 Cowgirl Museum

👍 Center of Transforming Lives

EJ:

👎 David Cooke's Sundance Promotion

👍 Tarrant Young Democrats

Ann and EJ are back from a big weekend of events to give you three short stories, one BIG story, and wins and losses for the city of Fort Worth. Our big story is an interview with Dr. Mia Hall, who is running for City Council District 6. Our three short stories are a collection of articles that analyze who gets the money in council races, why Tim O'Hare's National Day of Prayer is a cesspool for Christian Nationalism ideology, and what the new state performance ratings mean to Fort Worth ISD.

SHORT STORY #1: Texas Municipal Elections Are May 3rd!

- Analyzing who got the money in city council races

SHORT STORY #2: Tarrant County National Day of Prayer Luncheon

- Mansfield Mayoral Race is Textbook Christian Nationalism

SHORT STORY #3: 1 in 5 Texas schools got a D or F rating under new performance standards

- Start Telegram story on the update

BIG STORY: Interview with Dr. Mia Hall, Candidate for City Council District 6

WINS AND LOSSES

Ann:

👎 Land Use dollars are not a waste

👍 Open Streets

EJ:

👎 Texas state lawmakers are threatening Independent Bookstores

👍 Thousands rally against Trump

COMMUNITY ACTION:

Join the Discord server to share stories and comments

Come to the next 817 Gather at 10 am on May 18th

Ann and EJ sit down with Daryl Davis II, a candidate for City Council District 6, this week for the big story. We also discuss how anti-DEI is impacting TCU and TCC. We give you updates on redistricting talks at the county level as Tim O'Hare's voter fraud law firm gets approved for tens of thousands of our tax dollars.

SHORT STORY #1: Anti-DEI impacts TCU and TCC:

- TCU cuts Diversity & Inclusion office amid funding cut threats, higher-ed politicization

- Tarrant GOP attacks TCU

- Texas DEI ban leads to NAACP event abruptly moving from Tarrant County College

SHORT STORY #2: Updates on Redistricting

- Tarrant County Republicans’ plan to redraw commissioners’ precincts worries Democrats

- Tarrant County takes steps to redraw commissioners’ precincts

SHORT STORY #3: State vs. Local Control

- Legislation could overturn downtown Fort Worth district’s authority

BIG STORY: Interview with Daryl Davis II City Council Candidate for District 6

WINS AND LOSSES

Ann:

👍 5th Graders Advocating for Vaccines

👎 DART in State Legislation

EJ:

👍 Peaceful Protest on the 19th

👎 Crazies in Council Races

Ann and EJ present three short stories and an interview with Cowtown Democrats President Geoffrey Hyder, who will host the new Texas Democrat Party Chair, Kendall Scudder, on April 15th! Enjoy the episode, and we apologize for the audio, as we had to move into an outdated studio. We will be better in the future!

SHORT STORY #1: Measles Exposure in Tarrant County

- RFK Jr. Heads to Texas Kid's Funeral Who Dies from Measles

- Tarrant health officials issue warning about possible measles exposure in Grapevine 

- Tarrant County Public Health lays off staff amid nationwide federal funding cuts

SHORT STORY #2: Fort Worth Way Obsessed with Literacy Feels Sketchy

- This new Fort Worth advocacy group wants every elected leader focused on literacy

- Fort Worth ISD shifts $22.7M to support renewed literacy focus. Here’s how

SHORT STORY #3: Fort Worth Council Candidates Financing Reports Are In: What do we see?

- Fort Worth City Council candidates raise $1M ahead of May 3 election

BIG STORY: Interview with Geoffrey Hyder

WINS AND LOSSES

Ann:

👍 Community Design April Schedule

👎 Going to State Legislature to fight for crumbs

EJ:

👍 Bills that support freedom of religon

👎 HB44

Democrats have been making gains across the country in special elections, but what does that mean for Tarrant County, where our GOP Judge is looking to rezone the county in his favor and the Tarrant Democratic Party can barely afford rent? Ann and EJ analyze the city, county, and state situation and believe hope exists. Be a part of the hope and attend a Gather. Join our Discord.

SHORT STORY 1: Legacy Downtown Wells Fargo Bank Moves to Clearfork

SHORT STORY 2: Parents sue Trinity Valley School, allege sexual abuse cover-up involving at least 16 girls

- Keller ISD

- Mercy Culture Prepatory

- FWISD apologizes to students

SHORT STORY 3: URGENT: The Texas 'Exceptions' Bill is a Trojan Horse

- The "Life of the Mother" Trojan Horse

BIG STORY: Where Do Fort Worth Democrats Go From Here?

- Democrats are winning special elections like it's 2018

- FWR panels are inequitable for rising young candidates

- Who is getting endorsed or supported by Texas True Project and Patriot Mobile?

- Tarranty County Judge Trying to Use Redistricting to takeout Dem Commissioners

- Kendall Scudder Elected Chair of Texas Democratic Party

- Texas Democrats select Kendall Scudder as state party chair

- Democrats no longer benefit from voter turnout

WINS AND LOSSES

Ann

👍 Art Fort Worth

👎 DART Funding

EJ

👍 Arlington

👎 Cary Moon is making a fake difference

Today, we sit down with the president and a lead organizer of the César Chávez & Dolores Huerta Committee of Tarrant County, Maricela Jimenez and Maria Morales, to discuss the upcoming March for Justice. If you want to join us, we will gather at 9:30 am at the JFK Memorial on March 29th. If you cannot make the walk, they also have a link to donate.

SHORT STORY #1: Fort Worth-based Texas refugee office receives $47M in paused funds after legal battle

- The government is actually spending more money

- US government spending has not slowed under Trump so far, data shows

SHORT STORY #2: Texas might make it easier to build smaller homes. Tarrant leaders are speaking out

SHORT STORY #3: What to know about attending a protest in Texas?

BIG STORY: Interview with César Chávez & Dolores Huerta Committee of Tarrant County Leader

WINS AND LOSSES:

Ann:

👎 Funky Town Fridge Nees Our Support

👍 Arts Forward Summit this Saturday

EJ:

👎 Another Death Under Waybourn's Leadership

👍 Council Panels Across Fort Worth are Coming Up!

COMMUNITY:

Join the next 817 Gather on April 13th

Join our Discord Server

Ann and EJ are guest-less this pod, which is the first in weeks! Ann attends a Mayoral panel where the last four mayors of Fort Worth talk about the past, present, and future of Fort Worth. This leads to the question: Is Fort Worth better today than pre-pandemic or post Betsy Price?

SHORT STORY #1: Keller ISD Remains One District

- Keller ISD abandons plan to split district into two, citing financial barriers

- ‘It’s not over’: Opponents of squashed Keller ISD split rejoice, but demand transparency

- Effort to divide Keller schools was sneaky to the end. How do we prevent a repeat? | Opinion

SHORT STORY #2: The Modern vs. Gateway Endorsed Politicians

- District attorney gets case alleging child pornography in Fort Worth museum exhibit

- Former Gateway Church pastor Robert Morris indicted on 5 charges of indecency with child

SHORT STORY #3: Federal Funding Impact on Fort Worth and Local Non-Profits

- As cuts continue, one study looks at how much each state relies on the federal government

- Catholic Charities Fort Worth expects to get $47M in paused refugee funds after suing feds

- ‘It’s disappointing’: North Texas food banks lose $2 million in federal funding cuts

BIG STORY: Is Fort Worth Better Today? TBD

- Dallas-Fort Worth no longer leads nation in population gain. Here’s where we rank

- DFW is growing leaps and bounds. But the biggest changes aren’t around Fort Worth

- Mayoral Panel

WINS AND LOSSES

Ann:

👎 US drivers log 3.28 trillion miles in 2024, setting new record

👍 Transit Mixer

EJ:

👎 50 Rottweilers and other dogs rescued in Watauga animal cruelty case

👍 Fort Worth eighth grader leads campaign to educate immigrant families

Community Updates

- Join Discord 

- Attend Gathers (April 20th)