BRUNCH WITH BETO [Discussion & Signing Opportunity]

Join Beto O’Rourke for a candid talk about protecting our sacred right to vote and what it will take to save our democracy at this critical moment of truth.

As a former Texas congressman and founder of the voting rights and voter registration organization Powered By People, Beto is uniquely qualified to explain both the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead as we approach the most consequential elections of our time.

Tickets to this event include a discussion with Beto and the opportunity to purchase a signed copy of his latest book, WE’VE GOT TO TRY: How the Fight for Voting Rights Makes Everything Else Possible.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

- Our regular store seating will be available, but any additional space will be standing-room-only

- All ticket proceeds will be donated to Literacy First, a nonpartisan, nonprofit, grassroots organization working to build power in underrepresented youth communities through civic engagement, leadership development, and issue advocacy.

- Co-hosted by UT's University Democracts

SCHEDULE

[10:00 AM] Doors Open (30 min)

We'll have an assortment of coffees, teas, and pastries for purchase while you get settled

Democrats

[10:30 AM ] Intro and Discussion (20 min)

After a quick introduction, we'll welcome Beto to the stage for a candid discussion about voting rights and the opportunity to influence change

[10:50 AM] Mingling & Socializing (40 min)

Beto will take this time to mingle with the attendees before moving to the signing table. If you plan to get in the signing line, we recommend purchasing your copy of WE’VE GOT TO TRY during this time

[11:30 AM] Signing Line (60 min)

We'll have a signing table set up on stage until 12:30 PM. During this time we will also open the store to the general public

ABOUT THE BOOK

“Uplifting. . . . O’Rourke gets an A-plus on both the moral frisson of the long fight and the rightness of the cause. . . . The happy warrior from Texas is inspiring.” --The Washington Post

"Activist and political leader Beto O’Rourke blends history, sociology, and travelogue for a thrilling, inspiring case for how voting rights is essential to a productive and healthy democracy."

In We’ve Got To Try, O’Rourke shines a spotlight on the heroic life and work of Dr. Lawrence Aaron Nixon and the west Texas town where he made his stand. The son of an enslaved man, Nixon grew up in the Confederate stronghold of Marshall, Texas before moving to El Paso, becoming a civil rights leader, and helping to win one of the most significant civil and voting rights victories in American history: the defeat of the all-white primary. His fight for the ballot spanned 20 years and twice took him to the U.S. Supreme Court.

With heart, eloquence, and powerful storytelling, O’Rourke weaves together Nixon’s story with those of other great Texans who changed the course of voting rights and improved America’s democracy. While connecting voting rights and democracy to the major issues of our time, O’Rourke also shares what he saw, heard, and learned while on his own journey throughout the 254 counties of his home state.

By telling the stories of those he met along the way and bringing us into the epicenter of the current fight against voter suppression, the former El Paso Congressman shows just how essential it is that the sacred right to vote is protected and that we each do our part to save our democracy for generations to come.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Beto O'Rourke is a fourth-generation Texan, born and raised in El Paso where he has served as a small business owner, a city council representative and a member of Congress. He founded and currently leads Powered by People, a Texas-based organization that works to expand democracy and produce Democratic victories through voter registration and direct voter engagement. Beto is married to Amy O'Rourke and together they are raising Ulysses, Molly and Henry in El Paso's historic Sunset Heights.

WE'LL SEE YOU THERE!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Vintage Bookstore & Wine Bar, 1101 East 11th Street, Austin, United States