The LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin paid tribute to the life and legacy of former congresswoman, distinguished public servant and teacher Barbara Jordan during the 29th annual Barbara Jordan National Forum (BJNF) throughout the week of February 17 - February 22.
The theme of the 2025 celebration was "Stewardship: Exercise Leadership, Assume Leadership, Create Your Future," which comes from Barbara Jordan's remarks during the 1994 Texas Union Lecture in Student Leadership. Jordan said, "It is important to understand that even your seemingly incidental ethical choices are setting the patterns of your life.”
The Forum, which is student-chaired, included a series of lectures and events, the presentation of the Barbara Jordan Public Service award, and a day of volunteerism.
The week kicked off on February 17, 2025, with the Barbara Jordan Freedom Foundation Luncheon, which featured an inspiring interview with U.S. Representative Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (D-TX 34th District), as he discussed the significance of community service, overcoming adversity, and embodying the leadership and integrity of Barbara Jordan.
Moderated by LBJ student and BJNF co-chair, Ashley Alvarado, the congressman discussed his career, continued goals, and things that he's learned. Gonzales reflected on what he considers the most significant day of his career, which he also describes as the saddest day in his tenure, when the capital was stormed on January 6th. He acknowledges the inherent sadness of that moment, as it felt like the nation was in turmoil and there was a lot of uncertainty. Nevertheless, he expressed immense pride in the collective effort and determination of he and his colleagues, who continued on with the certification of the election at 3:00 AM, facilitating a seamless transition of power.
Congressman Gonzales also touched on challenges he faces as the elected representative for the 34th District of Texas, the biggest one being immigration. He has been working on the Safe Zones Act (H.R.2946), which is legislation that would allow migrants to seek asylum in designated “Safe Zones” located along the United States-Mexico border and Guatemala.
"I think we should be trying to find solutions, especially for people who have been here for 5 years or longer and haven't had any trouble, and they've been good citizens and can be sponsored by their employer. I think we should find ways for them to stay here legally and continue contributing to our country and to our economy. We're not having kids at the level that we need to. We cannot continue growing our economy without immigration, and that's just a mathematical fact. So we need to find a way to embrace immigrants now." - Congressman Vicente Gonzales Jr.
The next event for the week, Art is Activism: Visions of Liberation, took place on February 18, 2025. This was an art show hosted in partnership with local organization _OFCOLOR, which celebrated freedom and resilience through the eyes of local artists.
With 20 local artists, 69 original artworks, and the HTU Jazz Collective performing, the event brought policy off of the page and allowed LBJ students to stand at the intersection of policy, culture and innovation.
The event was conceptualized and planned by BJNF student chair, Ashley Alvarado, inspired by a visit to the Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., in which she saw a shirt that read "Art is Activism." During the art show, Ashley said, "The arts have not only played a significant role in my life but have also deeply influenced the life of Barbara Jordan. During a time of economic crisis,
Barbara Jordan passionately advocated for the importance of the arts. She did all of this while being a professor at the LBJ School, working in this same building that we stand in tonight. In 1993, at the Nancy Hanks lecture for the American Council of the Arts, Barbara Jordan stated, 'The arts are an integral part of us and have often been pivotal in reinvigorating our national spirit.'"
The BJNF week continued on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, with the Barbara Jordan Masterclass. This course, led by Linda Jenkins (MPAff '84), gave the LBJ community a chance to experience what it would be like to sit in a values and ethics class guided by the inspiring Barbara Jordan, led using Barbara Jordan’s original syllabus.
Through a presentation and a moderated Q&A with BJNF chair, Kennedy Simon, Miss Jenkins provided an insightful overview of ethical and transformational leadership, emphasizing the significance of integrity, empathy, and vision in effective leadership. She highlighted that ethical leaders prioritize moral principles and foster trust within their teams, while transformational leaders inspire and motivate others to achieve their full potential. The discussion underscored the importance of self-awareness, accountability, and the ability to drive positive change as essential traits of successful leaders.
She shared an impactful quote, saying:
“Others do not have to live with the intent of my behavior; they have to live with the impact of my behavior.” - Linda D. Jenkins
On Thursday, February 20, 2025, we were honored to host Texas Representative Senfronia Thompson as the Barbara Jordan National Forum Honorary Keynote speaker. The event was kicked off by LBJ professor Peniel Joseph, who spoke about having "moral courage" and how that is the way we can all walk in Barbara Jordan's legacy of service-oriented leadership. This was followed by the BJNF student chairs presenting Rep. Thompson with the Barbara Jordan Public Service Award, which honors a trailblazer and leader who represents Barbara Jordan’s voice, legacy and unwavering commitment to building community through activism and public service, before a fireside chat with BJNF student chair, Ali Altahafi.
In this engaging fireside chat, Representative Senfronia Thompson shared her experiences growing up in Houston, Texas, highlighting the profound impact that Barbara Jordan's achievements and determination had on her own journey into politics. She reflected on the challenges faced by women, particularly Black women, in that era and emphasized how Barbara Jordan's unwavering dedication to breaking barriers and forging new paths for all women served as a powerful source of inspiration for her.
Rep. Thompson shared with the audience many stories from her early career, recounting how she made her way to Washington, D.C., at her own expense to convince the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education to investigate the discriminatory funding practice against Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern University. Her commitment to this cause was sparked during a visit to the library at Prairie View A&M, after facing exclusion from the University of Houston because of her race. There, she witnessed firsthand the scarcity of resources and the lack of essential technology that students needed to succeed in their academic pursuits. As a result of Thompson’s tenacity, both universities received, and continue to receive, extra federal and state funding.
Altahafi wrapped up the conversation by asking Rep. Thompson what advice she could offer to aspiring policy leaders at LBJ and her hopes for the future. She concluded on an uplifting note, emphasizing to the audience the significance of collaborating with individuals from all political backgrounds and the importance of steadfastly holding onto one’s beliefs and morals, regardless of how long it takes.
The Barbara Jordan National Forum chairs and LBJ student volunteers had a wonderful morning of service at Barbara Jordan Elementary School on Friday, February 21, 2025, Barbara Jordan's birthday. They engaged with the students through fun activities such as coloring and story time, making learning exciting and enjoyable. The volunteers introduced the kids to the important topics of public service and civic leaders, helping them understand how they can make a difference in their communities. This experience not only inspired the students but also showed them the value of being active citizens.
The day of service at Barbara Jordan Elementary School has been a long-running tradition of the BJNF, allowing the student chairs an opportunity to bring Jordan's legacy of ethics and public service to a new generation.
We closed out this engaging week of programming with the Barbara Jordan Health Fair on February 22, 2025, which brought together local organizations and healthcare professionals committed to providing resources to support every aspect of health. The event featured non-profits and city services that provided free health services, financial counseling, educational sessions on mental health, and a yoga class. We even had a visit from Texas' very own, H-E-Buddy, and he brought snacks!
The Barbara Jordan Health Fair was created and organized by BJNF student chair, Kennedy Simon, who wanted a way to pay tribute to Jordan’s advocacy for accessible and affordable healthcare. Inspired by Jordan’s work in the Texas Legislature and on the Senate Health Committee, Simon saw an opportunity to create a space where local healthcare organizations and community members could connect and discuss available resources.
The inspiring and engaging event of this week would not have been possible without the tireless efforts and commitment of the 2025 student chairs of the Barbara Jordan National Forum, Ali Altahafi, Ashley Alvarado and Kennedy Simon. Let’s come together to celebrate and commend our student chairs for their dedication and service, which genuinely paid tribute to the remarkable legacy of Barbara Jordan.
