Solidarity Matters
Treasure City was started as a project to raise money and material support for small, local, grassroots community groups and projects that traditionally have difficulty finding support in materials, promotion and funding. We believe that the struggles for social justice are not separate, but in fact all linked together in a broader struggle for liberation – an injustice against one is an injustice against all. In networking and supporting groups and people, regardless of our own race, nationality, gender, sexuality, we all become stronger.
Groups We Support
- Inside Books Project An all-volunteer non-profit founded in 1998, sending nearly 30,000 free books a year to Texas prisoners. IBP works with prisoners to create change, both in their lives and in the system that has incarcerated them – books are the agents of that change. Prison support projects have a very difficult time with funding, which is why Treasure City supports IBP. Treasure City provides financial and material support for IBP: 1000+ books and support funding! Treasure City’s main group we support financially is the Inside Books Project. Inside Books Project (IBP) is an all volunteer, non-profit organization sending free books and educational materials to people in prison in the state of Texas. IBP works to promote reading, literacy and education among incarcerated individuals and to educate the general public on issues of incarceration. Treasure City is thrilled to support Inside Books Project.
- ADAPT Austin ADAPT organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.Treasure City provides promotional and financial support for ADAPT.
- allgo allgo works to create and sustain a statewide network of queer people of color activists, groups, organizations and allies, which through nourishment of relationships, grassroots organizing and artistic expression can radically transform systems and policies toward a collective liberation. Treasure City provides promotional and financial support for allgo.
- Austin Harm Reduction Coalition a non-profit volunteer based organization that works to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C among injection drug users. Treasure City provides promotional, material and financial support for AHRC
- Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera Helps maquiladora workers fight for labor rights, partly from supporting the formation of unions and partly through education on Mexican labor law. Treasure City provides promotional and financial support for Austin Tan Cerca
- Bikes Across Borders An Austin-based collective that sends out an annual bike caravan from Austin to México to establish/develop relationships of solidarity and to donate bikes. They are also creating a mobile shop and have sent over 500 bicycles to Cuba, Mexico, and Central America. Treasure City provides financial, promotional and material support for BAB.
- Casa Marianella / Posada Esperanza Serves as a shelter for recently arrived political refugees and migrants, including a Posada Esperanza, an emergency shelter for homeless immigrant women and their children. Treasure City provides promotional support for Casa Marianella, as well as a $120 monthly credit for Casa Marianella clients.
- Challenger Newspaper The Challenger Newspaper empowers people in need with economic opportunity and the chance to have their viewpoints heard. This paper uplifts and gives information to our most under-represented people. It encourages responsibility and freedoms necessary to enhance everyday life. The people served by the Challenger Newspaper have a wealth of information to share with society. The paper contributes, informs, and connects diverse people from all walks of life. The challenge is to end poverty. Treasure City provides financial support to The Challenger through monthly advertising in their paper.
- GAYbiGAYGAY GAYbiGAYGAY is the gay music event on the last day of SXSW. Treasure City provides promotional and material support for GBGG.
- KPWR – People Will Radio A web-based radio project, providing a safe and accessible space for local under represented members of the community and a forum for grassroots community programming. Treasure City provides promotional support for KPWR and individual radio shows. We also provide material support: a mixer, 2 microphones, microphone stand, records, cables, computers and computer parts.
- Mama Sana Vibrant Woman Free pregnancy and birth support for Black and Latina Women in Austin Treasure City provides financial, promotional and material support to MSVW.
- MonkeyWrench Books An all-volunteer, collectively owned and operated radical bookstore in North Austin. They have an extensive collection of radical and hard to find literature and media, and a space for community events. Treasure City provides promotional and material support for MWB: books, t-shirts for screen printing and gift certificates for fundraising.
- Puro Chingon Collective The Puro Chingon Collective is a creative trifecta specializing in happenings, the activation of nontraditional spaces, and art zines. From individual, humble beginnings, this Austin creative crew formed in 2012 to serve the community and produce art. Treasure City provides promotional, material and financial support for Puro Chingon Collective.
- Resistencia Bookstore A radical bookstore with a 30 year history in Austin. They sponsor readings, revolutionary & visionary cultural arts, and political forums with human rights activists, Indigenous artists and more. They are a Chican@/Latin@ Native American autonomous zone dedicated and are dedicated to nurturing a progressive, queer, POC, women’s space. Treasure City provides financial and promotional support to Resistencia.
- Undoing Racism Austin This project promotes and facilitates dialogue among community members and political power-holders to synthesize the communities’ demands for justice and the possibilities for enacting immediate change.
- Yellow Bike Project A non-profit dedicated to providing human-powered transportation for the people of Austin, running a community bike shop, and educating kids and adults. Treasure City provides promotional and material support for YBP. For several years, Treasure City provided outside space for one of Yellow Bike’s Community Bike Shops!
affiliations
We are members of the following organizations:
Preferred Promo Partners
In addition to directly supporting underfunded nonprofits, Treasure City spends the majority of our promo and advertising budget with community organizations and local businesses including:
- Bumperactive A local, friendly business providing stickers for the Austin community.
- Huston-Tillotson University As an historically black institution, Huston-Tillotson University’s mission is to provide opportunities to a diverse population for academic achievement with an emphasis on academic excellence, spiritual and ethical development, civic engagement, and leadership in a nurturing environment.
- Sky Candy Our neighbors over on Calles St, “Sky Candy’s mission is to share our love of aerial and circus arts with Austin, TX. We exist to foster a safe and supportive community for learning, performance and collaboration”
- Texas Roller Girls A worker/skater-owned and operated roller derby league, born and bred in Austin.
- Trouble Puppet Theater Company Trouble Puppet Theater Company is dedicated to the creation of exceptional works of puppet theater, to the promotion of the art of puppetry, and to the support of its practitioners.
Treasure City is not a charity in that we only support projects that empower people toward the goals of community culture, education, arts, resistance, or infrastructure. For this reason, we ask that organizations which receive our support also support us in a way that works for both of us. Some examples of such reciprocity include providing volunteers, redirecting patrons of your organization to TCT for shopping and donating, distributing information about us alongside your organization’s information, etc.
If you are a group that meets these criteria and would like financial, material or promotional support from us or to use the space for events, email us . In addition, we have window space for groups we support to promote their events and free blank t-shirts (and other clothing) for screen printing.