About This Event
COME PULL UP A SEAT
The UnGala is not a gala. It is a celebration of East Austin — its people, its food, its art, and its stories. On September 17, 2026, guests will gather at the Austin Public Library (Central Branch) for an evening that honors the communities and culture that built this neighborhood. No tuxedos. No podiums. Just tables, music, great food from local East Austin restaurants, and art created live in the room.
Every dollar raised supports The Welcome Table's two programs — Neighbor 2 Neighbor and CDF Freedom Schools® Austin.
MEET OUR SPEAKERS
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Terry Mitchell
A serial entrepreneur, strategist, and community leader, Terry Mitchell serves as the visionary force behind Black Leaders Collective and E & Co Tech. She is also a co-owner of Austin Woman Magazine, Co-Chair of The Black Fund of Central Texas, and Chief Development Officer for Creative Action.
Mitchell's story is Austin's story. A native of the city and a first-generation descendant of Trinidad & Tobago, she comes from a family of self-made risk-takers, advocates, and activists — and it shows in everything she has built since graduating from the University of Texas at Austin. Recruited early by Fortune 500 companies, she has since turned that expertise toward strategic planning, mentorship, and public affairs that lift up her own community.
This September, Mitchell brings that same spirit to our stage. Trust us, you won't want to miss what she has to say.
HOST & EMCEE
Miles Bloxson
An Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, producer, and host, Miles Bloxson is a seventh-generation Central Texan and a proud, native Austinite. She is heard weekdays on Austin's NPR station and serves as Operations Manager at KUT and KUTX Public Media, supporting on-air talent across the newsroom.
Her real gift is storytelling that centers culture and lived experience. She co-hosts and produces Pause/Play, an award-winning podcast on Austin's evolving music scene, and serves as executive producer of Black Austin Matters, spotlighting Black community and culture across Central Texas. In 2021, she created the Juneteenth audio documentary Are We Really Free? — a reflective look at freedom through the voices of Black Austinites. She is also the creator and host of Miles to Mogul, a conversation series with leaders and changemakers building their own paths on their own terms.
She knows how to hold a room, honor a story, and make sure every voice in it is heard — which makes her exactly the right person to guide our evening.
WHAT TO EXPECT
A Taste of East Austin The food at this event is not catering — it is a love letter to East Austin's culinary culture. Guests will move through stations featuring some of Austin's most celebrated culinary artists, each with deep roots in this community.
Gallery Walk As you arrive, you will walk through an art gallery in the making. Local East Austin artists will display original paintings, photography, and mixed media in the library foyer — and every piece will be available for sale.
Live Entertainment The evening will feature live jazz from Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Orchestra and programming that honors the full community The Welcome Table serves — including bilingual elements in both English and Spanish. We are excited to announce that our featured speaker is Terry Mitchell and Miles Bloxsom as our emcee.
An Evening Worth Staying For Doors open at 6:00 PM. Awards and raffle winners will be announced at 7:30 PM. The evening closes at 8:00 PM with a dessert grab-and-go — a sweet send-off on your way out the door. The bar is open all night.
Tables Tables are sold as a unit at $1,500 per table for 8 guests. Individual seat sales are not available. To purchase a table or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact:
April Leah Richard april@welcometableaustin.org
#FromEastAustinWithLove | #TheWelcomeTable | #EastATX
About This Event
COME PULL UP A SEAT
The UnGala is not a gala. It is a celebration of East Austin — its people, its food, its art, and its stories. On September 17, 2026, guests will gather at the Austin Public Library (Central Branch) for an evening that honors the communities and culture that built this neighborhood. No tuxedos. No podiums. Just tables, music, great food from local East Austin restaurants, and art created live in the room.
Every dollar raised supports The Welcome Table's two programs — Neighbor 2 Neighbor and CDF Freedom Schools® Austin.
MEET OUR SPEAKERS
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Terry Mitchell
A serial entrepreneur, strategist, and community leader, Terry Mitchell serves as the visionary force behind Black Leaders Collective and E & Co Tech. She is also a co-owner of Austin Woman Magazine, Co-Chair of The Black Fund of Central Texas, and Chief Development Officer for Creative Action.
Mitchell's story is Austin's story. A native of the city and a first-generation descendant of Trinidad & Tobago, she comes from a family of self-made risk-takers, advocates, and activists — and it shows in everything she has built since graduating from the University of Texas at Austin. Recruited early by Fortune 500 companies, she has since turned that expertise toward strategic planning, mentorship, and public affairs that lift up her own community.
This September, Mitchell brings that same spirit to our stage. Trust us, you won't want to miss what she has to say.
HOST & EMCEE
Miles Bloxson
An Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, producer, and host, Miles Bloxson is a seventh-generation Central Texan and a proud, native Austinite. She is heard weekdays on Austin's NPR station and serves as Operations Manager at KUT and KUTX Public Media, supporting on-air talent across the newsroom.
Her real gift is storytelling that centers culture and lived experience. She co-hosts and produces Pause/Play, an award-winning podcast on Austin's evolving music scene, and serves as executive producer of Black Austin Matters, spotlighting Black community and culture across Central Texas. In 2021, she created the Juneteenth audio documentary Are We Really Free? — a reflective look at freedom through the voices of Black Austinites. She is also the creator and host of Miles to Mogul, a conversation series with leaders and changemakers building their own paths on their own terms.
She knows how to hold a room, honor a story, and make sure every voice in it is heard — which makes her exactly the right person to guide our evening.
WHAT TO EXPECT
A Taste of East Austin The food at this event is not catering — it is a love letter to East Austin's culinary culture. Guests will move through stations featuring some of Austin's most celebrated culinary artists, each with deep roots in this community.
Gallery Walk As you arrive, you will walk through an art gallery in the making. Local East Austin artists will display original paintings, photography, and mixed media in the library foyer — and every piece will be available for sale.
Live Entertainment The evening will feature live jazz from Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Orchestra and programming that honors the full community The Welcome Table serves — including bilingual elements in both English and Spanish. We are excited to announce that our featured speaker is Terry Mitchell and Miles Bloxsom as our emcee.
An Evening Worth Staying For Doors open at 6:00 PM. Awards and raffle winners will be announced at 7:30 PM. The evening closes at 8:00 PM with a dessert grab-and-go — a sweet send-off on your way out the door. The bar is open all night.
Tables Tables are sold as a unit at $1,500 per table for 8 guests. Individual seat sales are not available. To purchase a table or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact:
April Leah Richard april@welcometableaustin.org
#FromEastAustinWithLove | #TheWelcomeTable | #EastATX