Promoting Equity
Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, San Antonio’s first openly gay council member, wants a local civil rights office to investigate the kind of discrimination he faced as a city staffer.
Michael Barajas
Michael Barajas is a staff writer covering civil rights for the Texas Observer. Before joining the Observer, he was editor of the San Antonio Current and managing editor of the Houston Press. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.
Articles by Michael Barajas
A Wrongful Execution in Texas Points to the Fallibility of the Death Penalty
A new documentary, The Phantom, explores the case of Carlos DeLuna and bolsters the disturbingly convincing case that Texas executed the wrong man.
With a Special Session on Voting Restrictions Looming, Texas Dems Push for Federal Protections
Voting rights advocates say Texas Republicans’ underhanded effort to ram through new voter suppression measures highlights the need to restore federal voting rights legislation.
Yet Again, Texas Lawmakers Face Crisis Conditions in Texas Prisons
Texas lawmakers are confronted with a bleak picture of life inside Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities every two years. Will they act this year?
In Gainesville, the Past Is Repeating Itself
Criminal charges against protesters, intimidation from counterprotesters, and the threat of violence by right-wing groups numbed protests against monuments in the North Texas town.
“Election Integrity” or Voter Intimidation?
Texas Republicans are pushing changes to election laws that would let partisan poll watchers record voters in polling places.
The Lege This Week: “Another Watershed Moment”
The push for an omnibus reform package named after George Floyd underscores how outrage over his death changed local and state policy debates around policing.
The ‘Culture of Violence’ Inside Austin’s Police Academy
Recent audits of the city’s cadet training spotlight a warrior-cop culture that pervades policing, even in a so-called progressive city.
Exploring the Rise, Fall, and Lingering Trauma of the Death Penalty in Texas
In his new book, journalist Maurice Chammah ties Texas' embrace of capital punishment to the state's frontier mythos.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
COVID-19 has increased separation and isolation at a time of crisis for incarcerated people and their families.