On July 25th, the Green Workforce Collaborative and the Center for Government & Civic Service co-hosted the Central Texas Climate Summit at CGCS headquarters on ACC's Rio Grande campus. From eleven in the morning to four in the afternoon, more than a hundred students, nonprofit leaders, policymakers, and environmental advocates filled the room with ideas and the kind of cross-table conversations that don't happen often enough. Lunch was catered by ACC's internal team and served zero-waste, in compostable packaging, which felt like the right way to start.
Fifteen community organizations participated. The day opened with remarks from Congressman Greg Casar, Commissioner Brigid Shea, State Senator Sarah Eckhardt, and Tatianna Cannon, the founder of GWC. "This is the moment in which you have to push through," Casar told the room. "We have to continue our organizing because big money is running scared. They see how our movement is growing. We are at the precipice point, but nothing we win is permanent unless we continue to work together and stay vigilant."
I had the honor of moderating the panel that followed. Jesus Garcia, of the Herbal Action Project, spoke about traditional ecological practices and community food systems. Mary K. Priddy-Bain, from the City of Austin, walked through the public engagement strategies the city is testing. Dr. Lakisha Barrett made the case for embedding climate awareness into institutional programs from the inside. Russell Taylor, with the Austin Bicycle Advisory Council, brought the conversation back to sustainable infrastructure and the everyday advocacy that builds it.
The breakouts ran long, in the best way. Roundtables on food systems, environmental health, housing, transportation, and policy engagement turned into shared priorities and a short list of next steps. An interactive poll surfaced what mattered most to the room: a regional calendar and contact directory for environmental work, more civic engagement, and stronger collaboration across sectors that too often run in parallel.
Cannon closed with a call to keep going. "This summit was about more than discussion," she said. "It was about creating a roadmap for action. Attendees gained tangible strategies, connections, and momentum to make a real impact in the climate space across Central Texas." Several attendees committed on the spot to host community meetings, join advocacy campaigns, and contribute to shared regional resources. The summit officially launched a CGCS-led climate initiative, and people left with both clear priorities and the relationships to act on them.
The 2026 Central Texas Climate Summit returns to CGCS in July. The exact date will be announced soon — follow the club on Instagram or join through ACC Student Life and we'll let you know when registration opens.