Gabriel Nila as a delegate to the 2016 Texas Republican convention in Dallas. That looks like Rep. Larry Gonzales to his left. (via Facebook)
Did Rep. Dawnna Dukes (D-Austin) kill a popular scholarship-granting festival in East Austin as a means of punishing those who have criticized her time in office? Or was she legitimately concerned for the reputation of the event?
We'll let a press release from her November ballot rival, Gabriel Nila, speak to that. Either way, Nila has promised to bring the African-American Community Heritage Festival back to the community in some form in the near future.
We'll let a press release from her November ballot rival, Gabriel Nila, speak to that. Either way, Nila has promised to bring the African-American Community Heritage Festival back to the community in some form in the near future.
EAST AUSTIN, Texas -- The African American Community Heritage Festival is the latest victim of dirty politics in the City of Austin.
On Thursday (June 2), Rep. Dawnna Dukes (D-Austin) announced that she was pulling the plug on this noble recent tradition because of the criticism surrounding her campaign and legal questions regarding how she manages her Capitol staff.
"Because of the unfair, untruthful criticism, it's not going to happen," said incumbent Dawnna Dukes in a recent media interview. "I'm not going to organize it."
Her rival, longtime educator and community activist Gabriel Nila, condemned this devastating decision.
The following statement may be attributed to Nila.
It's never wrong for the people to ask questions about their elected officials. Punishing our community for keeping a watchful eye on government is no way to lead.
It's a tragedy that the residents of Eastern Travis County will not only lose a vital cultural celebration but many will lose the higher education opportunities this festival provides. As the candidate of choice for our community, I have committed myself to find alternative opportunities so we can empower our leaders of tomorrow -- and I will continue to do so once I am elected.
I promise to continue, in some form, to celebrate the proud heritage of East Austin through a festival that is financially managed transparently and through a organization that has no ties to myself or my state office, but to the community so there will be no doubt of where the money raised through the festival has been going.
Furthermore, I challenge Rep. Dawnna Dukes and Huston-Tillotson University to release the names and amounts of financial scholarships given to those individuals who received scholarships over the 17-year history of the festival. East Austinites deserve to know how hard we'll have to work to make things up to the community.
East Austin, Manor and Pflugerville should not -- and will not -- be put on the back burner! It is time for the citizens of House District 46 to have a Representative who will work to empower our youth and our proud community for a better future.
Nila will appear opposite Dukes on the Nov. 1 general election ballot in eastern Travis County in the House District 46 race.
For more information on Gabriel Nila please email the campaign at mhokett@gabrielnila.com or call (512)541-5122. The campaign may also be found online at http://www.gabrielnila.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GabrielNilaTX.
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