A Celebration of Joy: Through Their Eyes

Children's Defense Fund-Texas is hosting A Celebration of Joy: Through Their Eyes at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on Thursday, October 8, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The evening is built around the creative work of youth from Greater Austin, with their art on display throughout the night. The theme, Through Their Eyes, puts the focus on how these young people see the world—their hopes, their truths, and their imaginations—and keeps them at the center of the community.

There's a formal program running through the evening. State Director Dr. Brandy Taylor will speak, and the night includes two awards: the Advocate for Joy award goes to Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Dr. Lauren Gambill, while the Samuel Halperin Youth Public Service Award is presented to Bryce Jones. Between the speeches and the awards, you can walk around and look at the artwork from the youth artists, which is what the whole night is built around.

CDF-Texas is the state arm of the national child advocacy organization, and this event is their way of recognizing the people working for children across Texas. Dr. Taylor describes it as a night to celebrate those efforts and renew the commitment that every young Texan thrives. It's framed as a celebration of hope, resilience, and collective action for young people, and the art on the walls is meant to be a part of that conversation. There's also a signature piece of artwork from CDF-Texas' history that will be up for bid during the event.

Tickets are $100, and the whole thing runs from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave.