It is with deep sadness that we share the news of Flavia Arzate Gomez’s passing. Flavia is a former member of Workers Defense and longtime caterer for our annual Changemakers event. Flavia was the proud owner and chef of @flaviaskitchen where she combined her talent for cooking with her passion for her culture and her people. She was an award-winning chef of Mexican cuisine in Austin and earned acclaim by the Central Texas community who had the privilege of having her food. We send our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and business colleagues during this most difficult time. We hope their beautiful memories offer healing and that her legacy lives on through stories shared by the many lives she touched. Flavia will be honored and remembered with love and respect by Workers Defense. May she forever rest in peace. ___ Con profunda tristeza, compartimos la noticia del fallecimiento de Flavia Arzate Gómez. Flavia fue miembro de Defensa Laboral y proveedora de catering durante muchos años para nuestro evento anual Changemakers. Flavia fue la orgullosa propietaria y chef de @flaviaskitchen, donde combinó su talento culinario con su pasión por su cultura y su gente. Fue una galardonada chef de cocina mexicana en Austin y reconocida por la comunidad del Centro de Texas, que tuvo el privilegio de disfrutar de su comida. Enviamos nuestras más sinceras condolencias a su familia, amigos y colegas en este momento tan difícil. Esperamos que sus hermosos recuerdos les ayuden a sanar y que su legado perdure a través de las historias compartidas por las muchas vidas que tocó. Flavia será honrada y recordada con amor y respeto por Defensa Laboral. Que descanse en paz por siempre. (fb)

🔊 ANNOUNCEMENT: Texas Construction Industry Boom Masks Dangerous Practices New Study Shows 📣 This week, Workers Defense Project and the Center for Urban Development at the University of Illinois, Chicago, released the study, “Behind the Texas Miracle: The Unstable Foundation of the Texas Construction Industry.” The study examined working conditions of construction workers in the Texas Triangle composed of Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston metropolitan areas which accounts for more than 70 percent of statewide construction spending. The study uncovered that while the economic side of the construction industry provides a picture of dynamic growth, the backbone of the industry, its workers, are facing health and safety risks, wage theft, little to no benefits, and hazardous working conditions. Most workers do not earn a living wage for one individual (let alone for an entire family), few receive adequate safety training, and opportunities for career advancement are limited. See the full report via or check out the KXAN story via link in bio. Photo by Matt Grant at KXAN. (fb)