Somos Tejas (“We Are Texas” in Spanish, also referred to as Somos Tejas Community Initiative) is a left-of-center activist group operating in Dallas, Texas focused on community activism and outreach in the Dallas area. Outreach includes door-knocking, in-person household surveys, and assistance with signing up for internet connection subsidies. The group does not differentiate between its activities under the two different names in its tax filings. ^{1 2 3 4}

Founding and History

Somos Tejas was founded in 2019 by a group of community activists and politicians in the Dallas area with a focus on building community engagement in the Latino community for the purpose of mobilizing political power. For roughly the first two years of Somos Tejas’ operation it was also focused on promoting information and public health measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, later also working to promote vaccination within the Latino community. ^{5 6}

In 2023 the group was named as a Social Innovator Accelerator Fellow by the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. ⁷

Financials

In 2022, Somos Tejas reported $191,355 in revenue, of which the entire amount was derived from contributions. It reported $182,534 in expenses, of which $115,928 was spent on salaries and benefits. It ended the year with net income of $8,821 and $52,821 in net assets. ⁸

Organization Philosophy

Somos Tejas holds left-of-center positions on policy issues while claiming to partner with several racial and sexual identity-based activist groups. Its executive director was highlighted in 2022 as being a someone to “watch on the social justice front.” ^{9 10}

Projects and Initiatives

In 2022, Somos Tejas reportedly knocked on 10,000 doors in a get out the vote effort, among other activities to promote voter engagement. These include commissioning pro-voting art in the community and hosting a “party at the polls.” The group also engages in community-outreach efforts, such as conducting a 2,000 home survey in the Dallas area and providing assistance for families to sign up for an internet connection subsidy program. The group was also active during the COVID-19 pandemic promoting public health measures and vaccination. ^{11 12 13}

Leadership

Ramiro Luna-Hinojosa is the executive director of Somas Tejas, a position he has held since the group’s creation in 2019. He previously worked on political campaigns which led to his co-founding Somos Tejas as a permanent advocacy and activist organization. He is especially dedicated to securing citizenship for people who immigrated as children and now lack legal status as a result of either overstaying visas or crossing the border illegally. He falls into this category himself and has temporary status through the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. ¹⁴

1. “Six to Watch on the Social Justice Front in Dallas.” Dallas News, January 21, 2022. Accessed September 2, 2024https://www.dallasnews.com/news/inspired/2022/01/21/six-to-watch-on-the-social-justice-front-in-dallas/.
2. “Home.” Somos Tejas – Community Initiative. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://somostejascommunity.org/
3. Somos Tejas, Return of an organization exempt from taxation (Form 990) Part I, 2022.
4. “About.” Somos Tejas. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://somostejas.org/about/.
5. “Six to Watch on the Social Justice Front in Dallas.” Dallas News, January 21, 2022. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/inspired/2022/01/21/six-to-watch-on-the-social-justice-front-in-dallas/.
6. “About.” Somos Tejas. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://somostejas.org/about/.
7.  Costa, Meg. “Meet Our Newest Social Innovation Accelerator Fellows.” United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, September 8, 2023. Accessed September 2, 2024.  https://unitedwaydallas.org/updates/meet-our-newest-social-innovation-accelerator-fellows/.
8. Somos Tejas, Return of an organization exempt from taxation (Form 990) Part I, 2022.
9. “Six to Watch on the Social Justice Front in Dallas.” Dallas News, January 21, 2022. Accessed September 2, 2024https://www.dallasnews.com/news/inspired/2022/01/21/six-to-watch-on-the-social-justice-front-in-dallas/.
10. “Home.” Somos Tejas – Community Initiative. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://somostejascommunity.org/.
11. “Home.” Somos Tejas – Community Initiative. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://somostejascommunity.org/.
12. “Six to Watch on the Social Justice Front in Dallas.” Dallas News, January 21, 2022. Accessed September 2, 2024https://www.dallasnews.com/news/inspired/2022/01/21/six-to-watch-on-the-social-justice-front-in-dallas/.
13. Somos Tejas, Return of an organization exempt from taxation (Form 990) Part I, 2022.
14. “Six to Watch on the Social Justice Front in Dallas.” Dallas News, January 21, 2022. Accessed September 2, 2024https://www.dallasnews.com/news/inspired/2022/01/21/six-to-watch-on-the-social-justice-front-in-dallas/.