BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//BigTentUSA - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://bigtentusa.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for BigTentUSA
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251208T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251208T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024251
CREATED:20251119T170958Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251210T175325Z
UID:60940-1765188000-1765191600@bigtentusa.org
SUMMARY:From the Campaign Trail: Faith and Politics in Texas
DESCRIPTION:BigTentUSA and COURIER Texas recently hosted a thoughtful conversation featuring Texas State Representative James Talarico\, COURIER Texas Organizing Director Dawn Jones\, and independent journalist Aaron Parnas. The panel reflected on the rapidly evolving political environment in Texas and how upcoming statewide battles could shape the years ahead. \nThe discussion highlighted the essential role of reliable\, community-rooted journalism—especially as Texans confront ongoing redistricting fights\, a high-profile Senate race\, and the road to the 2026 midterms. Speakers emphasized that strong local reporting helps voters cut through noise\, hold leaders accountable\, and stay informed in a complex media landscape. \nRep. Talarico spoke openly about the values guiding his public service\, noting how staying true to his beliefs helps him connect with constituents across party lines. Throughout the conversation\, the panel underscored the importance of removing special-interest influence from politics and refocusing government on meeting community needs. \nThey closed by encouraging viewers to take an active role in their neighborhoods—whether through civic engagement\, supporting trusted local news sources\, or helping strengthen democratic participation at the grassroots level. \n  \nABOUT THE SPEAKERS: \nJames Talarico is an eighth-generation Texan\, former middle school teacher\, and preacher. \nBorn to a single mom in Round Rock\, James earned degrees from The University of Texas at Austin\, Harvard University\, and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Before serving in the Legislature\, he taught English on the Westside of San Antonio — one of Texas’ poorest zip codes. \nElected as state representative at the age of 29\, he has led the fight against the billionaire mega-donors and their puppet politicians who have taken over our country. Now\, he is running for U.S. Senate to take his fight against Big Money and corruption to Washington and win back power for working people in a system that’s rigged for the ultra-wealthy. \nLearn more at jamestalarico.com \nDawn Jones\, born and raised in Houston\, Texas\, is a proud two-time graduate of Texas Southern University. She has dedicated the past decade to social justice advocacy\, managing student organizing programs for presidential\, senate\, and gubernatorial campaigns. With extensive experience in building grassroots movements\, she now serves as the Texas Organizing Director for COURIER Texas\, where she bridges the gap between organizing and civic media. \nAaron Parnas is one of the leading Gen Z voices shaping how news is consumed today. An independent journalist\, political commentator\, strategist\, and attorney\, Aaron has quickly become a key figure in the national political conversation\, offering sharp insights at the intersection of law\, media\, and policy. \nHe first gained widespread attention through viral\, educational content that breaks down complex political issues in a fast\, accessible way—particularly resonating with younger\, highly engaged audiences. His rapid-response analysis of major court decisions\, legislative battles\, and election narratives has made him a trusted voice for millions across platforms.
URL:https://bigtentusa.org/event/faith-and-politics-in-texas/
LOCATION:BigTent Zoom Room
CATEGORIES:BigTent Spotlight Speaker Series,BigTent Events,Preserving Democracy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://bigtentusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/169Recap_James-Talarico_Dawn-Jones_Aaron-Parnas-1.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251211T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251211T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024251
CREATED:20251207T235723Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T202315Z
UID:60951-1765479600-1765483200@bigtentusa.org
SUMMARY:2026 Midterms: The Game Plan
DESCRIPTION:BigTentUSA wrapped up its final virtual event of the year with an energizing conversation featuring Gretchen Barton of Worthy Strategy Group and Michael Frias of Catalist. They broke down what the 2025 results and new exit polling are telling us about the road ahead and shared the key shifts that will shape the fight to win back Congress in 2026. \nThe speakers reminded everyone that real progress happens when Democrats connect with swing voters by listening\, finding shared values\, and showing there’s room for them in the bigger pro-democracy community—rather than pushing them away. \nThey also dug into what the 2025 electorate revealed about persuasion and turnout\, how different groups showed up\, and where the biggest opportunities lie next year. And they closed with practical advice on how people\, campaigns\, and organizations can step up now—including smart ways to direct political donations so they make the strongest possible impact. \n  \nABOUT THE SPEAKERS: \nGretchen Barton is the founder of Worthy Strategy Group\, a research and strategy firm shaping influential narratives in American public life. A leading researcher and strategist\, she has led national studies on poverty\, women and leadership\, the youth vote\, immigration\, gender in America\, global nuclear disarmament\, how Americans discern truth\, what they seek in their next president\, and what the Democratic and Republican brands signify. Over the past three years\, she has spearheaded research and messaging in support of Ukraine and advocated for the return of Ukrainian children captured by Russian forces. Her work has been used by the U.S. State Department\, global governments\, and NGOs. She has also worked extensively to identify programs and messaging that reduce antisemitism. Gretchen has conducted interviews with over 3\,000 Americans and designed polling reaching more than 200\,000. She heads the American Leadership Project and advises History Wars. A Cornell graduate\, she has authored multiple publications and research studies. \nMichael Frias is the Chief Executive Officer of Catalist\, the premier progressive data and analytics firm supporting campaigns\, advocacy groups\, and civic organizations nationwide. As Catalist’s first Latino CEO\, he has led the company through a period of innovation\, strengthening its role as a trusted source of rigorous and actionable insights into the American electorate. Michael brings over twenty years of experience at the intersection of politics\, government\, and national security. At the Department of Homeland Security\, he served as Deputy Chair of the Common Vetting Task Force\, where he led the creation of a big data environment to improve information sharing across DHS and the intelligence community\, earning the Secretary’s Award for Excellence from Secretary Jeh Johnson. His political experience includes serving as Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick\, holding senior roles in Governor Janet Napolitano’s administration\, and leading statewide and national campaigns. He advises several innovation- and equity-focused organizations.
URL:https://bigtentusa.org/event/2026-midterms/
LOCATION:BigTent Zoom Room
CATEGORIES:BigTent Events,Preserving Democracy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://bigtentusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/169Recap_Gretchen-Barton_Michael-Frias.webp
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR