Texas Freedom Network

Founded in 1995, the Texas Freedom Network (TFN) is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization of more than 150,000 religious and community leaders who support religious freedom, individual liberties and public education. Based in Austin, TFN acts as the state’s watchdog for monitoring far-right issues, organizations, money and leaders. The organization has been instrumental in defeating initiatives backed by the religious right in Texas, including private school vouchers and textbook censorship at the State Board of Education.

Starting in 2017, TFN worked with Lilith Fund, Avow, and TEA Fund to identify stakeholders, build relationships with grasstops leaders, and develop the #ReproPowerTX agendas in Houston and Dallas. TFN also supported in hosting the convenings for the agenda releases in both cities, and hosted a messaging workshop in Houston for advocates. They also helped develop a campaign that would link the local-level work happening in each city into a statewide narrative.

NIRH currently works with the Texas Freedom Network as part of a cohort of organizations in Texas on a long-term proactive abortion policy and culture shift project to develop and advance an abortion rights vision, engage a new and broad base of supporters, and reduce shame and stigma by publicly promoting the affirmative value of abortion.