Metropolitan Breakfast Club

"Loving our students to success." That's the mission driving ACC's work in Central Texas, as Miriam Smith shared with MBC this week.

ACC's free tuition pilot has already doubled conversion to full-time enrollment, and its 11 new "Riverbat Bites" food pantries are reaching 11,000 students. A powerful reminder of how education ripples through a community.

Next week: Laura Esparza from Art Alliance Austin joins us. Learn more at mbcaustin.org/events

Investing in Austin's Future –

Join us Wednesday, Aug. 26 as Miriam Smith will be highlighting the exciting work being done at Austin Community College and ACC Foundation, and outlining ACC’s regional footprint, key student success initiatives, and economic impact.

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Guess what our next speaker's degree is in? Opera.

On Wednesday, Aug. 26, join us as Miriam Smith, vice chancellor of college advancement and executive director of the ACC Foundation, shares her path from the performing arts to college fundraising. She's spent nearly 20 years building donor relationships at places like Sarah Lawrence College and Columbia Artists Management before landing at ACC.

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Diagnosed with MS in 2009 while raising two young daughters, Dr. Lisa Doggett told MBC members Wednesday, "I felt like my future had been cancelled."

Members praised her presentation as a standout, especially the readings from her memoir. She also shared the insurance hurdles she faced and the lifestyle habits that keep her strong today — plant-based eating, regular movement, better sleep and stress management.

Next week: Miriam Smith from Austin Community College joins us. Learn more at mbcaustin.org/events

Dr. Lisa Doggett spent years on the other side of the exam table — directing a clinic for Austin's uninsured patients — until her own multiple sclerosis diagnosis changed how she saw medicine, motherhood and resilience.

Join us Wednesday, Aug. 19, as she shares her story and reads from her memoir, "Up the Down Escalator." It's an honest look at illness, caregiving and gratitude.

Sign up before Monday, Aug. 17, for the discount rate.

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Yesterday's meeting brought a fun surprise: Travis County Judge Sylvia Holmes — whose duties include officiating weddings — shared that she once performed a Star Trek themed wedding over Zoom during the pandemic. She also opened up about her work in Precinct 3, from evictions and traffic cases to helping residents prepare for court, and describes herself as the friendly "Judge Judy" of Travis County.

Next week: Lisa Doggett, Chief Medical Officer at Sendero, joins us.
Learn more at mbcaustin.org/events

Sign up before Monday Aug. 10 to save on Wednesday’s breakfast!

On Wednesday Aug. 8 Judge Sylvia Holmes—Justice of the Peace for Travis County Precinct 3—joins the Metropolitan Breakfast Club to offer an insider’s perspective on the vital, everyday role “the people’s court” of Small Claims play in maintaining community stability, resolving disputes, and upholding the rule of law.

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Ever wondered what actually happens at your local courthouse?

On Wednesday, Aug. 8, Travis County Justice of the Peace Sylvia Holmes joins MBC to talk eviction cases, small claims disputes and community-based restorative justice — the everyday work that keeps Austin's neighborhoods fair and functioning. Come hear how Precinct 3 balances a growing caseload with real accessibility for residents.

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Yesterday's meeting had us laughing from start to finish. What the previous owners of El Arroyo saw as trash — a marquee too big for the dumpster — Clay McPhail saw as opportunity. It became a powerful marketing tool, cementing El Arroyo as an iconic Austin food spot, with about 9,400 signs over the years.

A memorable example dared drivers to race the next half mile to Lamar Blvd. APD responded with an actual speed trap.

Next week: Sylvia Holmes, Travis County Judge, joins us.
Learn more at mbcaustin.org/events

Register before Monday, Aug. 3 to save on Wednesday’s breakfast!

What began in the late 1980s as a low-tech way to grab commuters' attention quickly evolved into an iconic cultural phenomenon. Clay will take MBC members behind the scenes of the sign's history, sharing the inspiration, marketing lessons, and unforgettable local reactions—from viral jokes and national media features to the occasional outrage—that made the marquee a staple of Austin’s identity.

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