COMMUNITY IAPAC Launches Conversations Over Coffee with FBISD Candidates

Houston: The Indian American Political Action Committee of Greater Houston (IAPAC) launched a new breakfast/coffee series called Conversations Ove Coffee (CoC@IAPAC) on April 30, 2023 at BlendIn Coffee Club in Sugar Land. The purpose of this series is to promote community engagement with elected officials, candidates running for office, and community leaders to address issues of concern. These events will take place at various locations throughout the Greater Houston area to encourage participation and increase awareness of local, state, and federal elections, ultimately aiming to boost voter turnout.

The first event of the series featured candidates running for Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) trustee positions, with five out of nine candidates attending (Angie Hanan - Position 1, Oscar Saenz - Position 1, Shirley Rose-Gilliam - Position 4, Rolly U. DeMeza - Position 5, Allison Drew - Position 5). Dr. Purusottam Sahoo, who serves as the Director of IAPAC, moderated the conversation. Each candidate shared their vision for FBISD and highlighted their backgrounds, experience, and qualifications for the role, representing a diverse range of perspectives reflective of Fort Bend County residents and showcased the importance of having varied perspectives in decision-making positions.

The event included an intense Q&A session, during which local Fort Bend residents posed questions about special education and the three propositions for the bond projects of $1.3 billion. This amount is comparable to the $900 million approved in 2018, adjusted for inflation. The candidates took note of the issues of concern to the Fort Bend residents, highlighting the importance of local issues in the minds of the community. The need for more transparency and better communication was expressed by the residents. Notably, Bharat Patel, one of the community leaders, advocated for an itemized budget for the three propositions. It was encouraging to see community members taking an active interest in local elections andengaging with candidates to make informed decisions.

The launch of CoC@IAPAC underscores the importance of promoting community engagement and increasing voter turnout. According to recent statistics, only 37% of registered voters in the Greater Houston area turned out to vote in the 2020 presidential election. By providing opportunities for community members to engage with candidates and elected officials, CoC@IAPAC aims to encourage more community members to participate in elections.

The upcoming election day for the Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) school board is May 6, 2023. This election will determine the new trustees for the FBISD, and the outcome will have a significant impact on the district’s policies and direction. It is essential for eligible voters in the district to exercise their right to vote and have a say in the future of the education system in their community.

Roopa Gir, the President of

IAPAC, expressed her satisfaction with the successful launch of Conversations Over Coffee (CoC@ IAPAC) and the positive feedback received from both community members and participating candidates. The event provided an op- portunity for Fort Bend residents to engage with the candidates in an informal setting, showcasing the potential impact of community-led initiatives in promoting civic engagement and increasing voter turnout.