Moving with Heart and Purpose: Highlights from the Texas CASA Conference

There is something truly special about coming together in person – uniting behind a shared commitment to improve the lives of children and families in Texas. 

Last month in San Marcos, we did just that. Our CASA community gathered to learn, connect, celebrate, and find renewed inspiration for the work ahead. Guided by this year’s theme, Advocacy in Motion: Moving with Purpose and Heart, the conference was a celebration of what makes CASA advocacy so powerful and a reminder of why we each continue to show up for children.

We welcomed 67 local CASA programs, 24 committed partners, and even had attendees from Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Illinois, Kansas, Arizona, and Kentucky! 145 CASA volunteers and 356 program staff and board members filled the halls, shared ideas, and left with meaningful resources to take back to their communities. The energy was truly palpable. Together, we strengthened relationships and explored new ways to support this critical work.

Throughout the conference, we were inspired by stories of resilience and advocacy. Keynote speakers’ youth advocate MelissaRoshan “MelRo” Potter and hope scholar Dr. Chan Hellman shared powerful stories about the transformative power of hope. Speakers from across the state shared insights on volunteer recruitment, collaboration, and preparing for the upcoming 90th Legislative Session, while other workshops explored topics like childhood adversity and restorative advocacy to leading with connection. Judge Bench delivered a moving keynote at our Nectar After Nightfall gala, where he was honored for nearly two decades of public service. We honored Big Voice for Little Texans Award recipients, First Lady Cecilia Abbott and her Texanthropy Initiative and Mark Cook of the Mark and Judith Cook Foundation. Both were recognized for the positive difference they make in the lives of children impacted by the child welfare system. Most importantly, we celebrated one another and the work we do together. 

There are children that are voiceless in our system. They go unseen, unsupported, and uncared for. But because of the CASA organization and the constant reimagining of the “CASAbilities” and the constant staying in the gap and you staying on the cases and you not giving up, even when it’s difficult … you keep going.

— MelissaRoshan “MelRo” Potter

With each interaction and each session, I was reminded that advocacy is not something we simply talk about. It is something we put into motion. It lives in the choices we make, the relationships we build, and the ways we support children day after day.  

Judge Bench captured that commitment beautifully when he thanked CASA volunteers for “being the protector and defender for those who cannot protect themselves” and for “letting them stand on your shoulders, no matter how heavy that burden gets, so that they can see a future they could not imagine without you.” His words are a powerful reminder of what CASA volunteers do every day — stepping into difficult circumstances, standing beside children, and helping them see what is possible for their futures. 

As we return to our local communities and the work ahead, I hope we carry with us the energy, connection, and sense of purpose we felt in San Marcos. There will always be challenges to navigate and new opportunities to pursue, but we have a remarkable network of people committed to moving forward together. 

Thank you to everyone who traveled to San Marcos, shared your knowledge and stories, and connected with colleagues and partners. Each one of you brought Advocacy in Motion to life. 

Most of all, thank you for continuing to show up — for the children who need you, for the families whose lives you touch, and for the hope you help make possible. 

Together, we are moving forward with purpose and heart. 

With gratitude,