This piece previews the Texas Tribune Festival returning to downtown Austin Sept. 24-26, laying out the lineup of national and Texas leaders, the issues they’ll tackle, and what attendees can expect from sessions on immigration, education, public safety, arts and family life in the digital age. It highlights featured speakers and frames why TribFest matters as a forum where politics, policy and culture intersect. Read on for a clear sense of who’s on stage and the conversations that will shape the fall.
The festival brings an unusually broad roster of figures to Austin, from seasoned Washington hands to state executives and civic leaders. On the list are Rahm Emanuel, Tate Reeves, Gina Hinojosa, Erin Harkey, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, Jazmine Ulloa, Abdullah Antepli and Julie Scelfo. Each brings a different angle: political strategy, state education reform, arts leadership, national security, local history and grassroots parent activism. Expect sharp exchanges on policies that matter to Texans and to the nation this election season.
Rahm Emanuel’s presence guarantees a national spotlight. A former White House chief of staff and, more recently, U.S. ambassador to Japan, Emanuel will bring a Democratic strategist’s view on both foreign policy and the direction of national politics. Republicans in the audience should pay attention: hearing the other side’s arguments helps craft sharper responses and keeps the debate honest. His perspective will clash with state-focused concerns that many Texans feel are more immediate than national posturing.
Tate Reeves and the Mississippi education story are on the program because state results matter. Reeves will be asked about the so-called “Mississippi Miracle,” a phrase attached to his tenure as officials point to K-12 gains under his watch. Republicans who favor local control and measurable outcomes will want to hear what worked and what didn’t in a conservative-governed state. That practical focus will contrast directly with candidates like Gina Hinojosa, now the Democratic nominee for Texas governor, who brings a long record in public education and a different set of priorities.
Topics at TribFest are squarely practical and timely: immigration and border security, the future of public schools, parenting in a digital world, and how arts and pluralism fit into civic life. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul’s background on homeland and foreign affairs positions him to speak to national security and border policy with direct experience. Jazmine Ulloa will add a human perspective rooted in El Paso history with her book “El Paso: Five Families and One Hundred Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and Memory,” making policy debates feel personal and urgent.
Arts and civic conversation won’t be an afterthought. Erin Harkey of Americans for the Arts and Abdullah Antepli of Houston’s Rothko Chapel will tackle how community and cross-cultural dialogue sustain civic life. Julie Scelfo brings a parental perspective through Mothers Against Media Addiction, highlighting concerns over how children are growing up online. Those sessions will speak to voters worried about culture, family and local community institutions—not just headline political fights.
TribFest is designed as a place to listen, press leaders on specifics and leave with actionable takeaways. The lineup mixes national actors with state and local voices so attendees can compare big-picture arguments with ground-level realities. Students and educators traditionally get reduced pricing and special programming, creating an opportunity for younger people to see policy debates up close. Tickets are available for the festival and organizers continue to emphasize educational access for classrooms and campuses.
