The Opportunity Agenda works with a community of advocates, creatives, and communicators to change conversations on social issues and drive public support for more just and equitable policies in a truly diverse and inclusive democracy. Leveraging our 20-year social justice legacy, we provide the tools and training needed to deploy the most impactful communication strategies. 

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Overview

This short listen introduces the idea of Targeted Universalism. It explains how a shared goal can guide a community while different groups may need different steps to reach it. You’ll hear simple examples and ways to start practicing the idea in everyday work.

This report quantifies the civic landscape across The Change Lab’s seven focus areas using IRS/NTEE–anchored directories (Cause IQ), labor statistics (BLS), and national volunteering data (AmeriCorps/Census). Within each focus area, we selected disjoint categories to minimize double counting. Cross‑domain overlap still exists; treat these figures as a conservative floor.

The Houston Food Bank invites neighbors to take simple steps that add up: learn the basics, speak up, and lend a hand. Below are quick, clear actions sorted by time. Pick one that fits your day and follow the button to their site.

Texas leaders approved steps that can reduce food insecurity and improve access to care. The state budget funds critical upgrades to the eligibility and enrollment system, HB 4226 makes it cheaper for food banks to operate trucks, and HB 26 authorizes “Food Is Medicine” supports—including a pilot for pregnant Texans. Together, these moves can help families get support faster and keep more healthy food moving to neighbors in need.

This Mind & Life article introduces a study led by social psychologist Rémi Thériault (NYU). The idea is simple: reading clear, thoughtful nonfiction for about 10 minutes a day may help people understand others and work well together. Participants read for 10 weeks. The team looks at changes in care for others, how we speak with people who see things differently, and whether readers feel more connected. Books are picked for easy reading and helpful themes, using both expert review and AI tools. Earlier work from the team suggests that reading plus reflection can be a welcoming first step. The public is invited to suggest book titles for future rounds.

We started in 2008 because Black women in Texas were getting HIV at very high rates. They needed help. Over time, we grew to help with many kinds of health problems.

What is Reproductive Justice?

Reproductive Justice means you get to make your own choices about your body and your family. You can decide if you want to have kids or not. You can decide when to have them. You can raise your kids in a safe place.

Black women created this idea in 1994. They knew that health care connects to other problems like racism and poverty.

Health problems that hurt Black women most:

• Black women often go to hospitals that give worse care

• Racism affects Black women's bodies and makes pregnancy more dangerous

• Texas laws make it hard to get abortion care when women need it

• Many people judge women with HIV, so they don't get help

• Not enough doctors understand what Black women go through

When people understand symptoms early and know where to go, recovery is faster and outcomes improve. MHA of Greater Houston builds community capacity—training schools and providers, linking families to help, and shaping policies that make care affordable, accessible, and stigma-free.

Join us for an evening celebrating Hispanic History Month with Judge Josefina Rendón. This free community event brings neighbors together for meaningful dialogue about justice, healing, and hope.

Whether you're new to these conversations or a long-time advocate, your voice matters here. Come as you are and be part of something meaningful.

Why This Matters

Racism damages health, weakens civic trust, and fractures communities. The Center's facilitated dialogues build shared language and listening skills, helping people examine racial conditioning, heal harm, and take collaborative action across lines of difference.

Summary

During an era of exclusion and housing discrimination, a Black couple welcomed a Chinese immigrant family as renters. Eighty-five years later, that family has publicly honored the couple’s courage and kindness—an act of remembrance that highlights shared struggles and the power of cross-racial solidarity. The story underscores how everyday choices—like opening your door—can ripple across generations.

Summary

This Yale SPH Q&A explains how alcohol contributes to cancer risk and why U.S. leaders are exploring updated warning labels. Dr. Vasilis Vasiliou highlights mechanisms (e.g., acetaldehyde, oxidative stress), dose–response effects, and the way alcohol amplifies other carcinogens such as tobacco smoke. Guidance includes: don’t start drinking for health reasons; if you drink, keep it modest and consider personal/family risk factors.

Why It Matters
Access to quality education is directly tied to civic participation, economic mobility, and systemic equity. By focusing on the physical and financial infrastructure of schools, Civic Builders helps communities transform vacant buildings, underutilized lots, and scarce resources into thriving centers of learning. This work addresses structural inequities, particularly for low-income, Black, and Hispanic families disproportionately affected by lack of access to quality facilities.