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Statement from Texas Organizing Project on Shane James

December 6, 2023

“Texas Organizing Project (TOP) is profoundly saddened and deeply troubled by the recent tragic events involving Shane James. We condemn his most recent egregious acts, full stop. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the victims and their families during this incredibly difficult time.

Through our justice program, we bailed out James in coordination with the Bexar County’s public defender’s office, nearly two years ago in February 2022 on misdemeanor charges where his bond fees totaled $300. The events that have unfolded are devastating, and we recognize the pain and suffering this incident has caused. We take our responsibilities seriously and acknowledge that we must address both the immediate impact of this tragedy and the broader implications for our bail program.

TOP was founded with a commitment to transforming Texas into a state that works for everyone. A piece of our work is reforming the criminal justice system, advocating for fairness, and providing support to those who have often been marginalized and underserved. We firmly believe in the presumption of innocence until proven guilty and our mission is to ensure that individuals have the opportunity to address their legal challenges while awaiting trial in a just and equitable manner.

We want to make clear that TOP has a thorough and rigorous screening process in place to assess individuals who are eligible for our bail program, with a focus on assisting with misdemeanor offenses. James was deemed eligible based on our criteria at the time. However, TOP has had no interaction with James since March 2022. We acknowledge that our assessments cannot anticipate the future actions of individuals. We are committed to conducting a comprehensive internal review of our program and processes.

We understand that some may try to use this tragedy to criticize bail programs, even for misdemeanors. We remain steadfast in our commitment to our mission, advocating for the rights and representation of all Texans.

Additionally, we are acutely aware of the urgent need to address gun violence as an endemic issue in Texas and across the United States. We can’t ignore the larger context in which incidents like these occur. Our commitment to transforming our state and nation’s criminal justice system includes advocating for sensible gun control measures and community safety initiatives that can help prevent tragedies.”

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About Texas Organizing Project:

TOP organizes Black and Latino communities in Dallas, Harris, Bexar, and Fort Bend counties with the goal of transforming Texas into a state where working people of color have the power and representation they deserve. For more information, visit organizetexas.org.

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TOP: “By embracing Trump, Gov. Abbott is embracing white nationalism”

November 20, 2023

The following statement is from Brianna Brown, Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Co-Executive Director, condemning Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s endorsement of Donald Trump for U.S. president in 2024:

“Leave it to the “Donald Trump of Texas” to endorse the coup-plotting, twice-impeached racist who’s racked up over 90 felony counts in four criminal cases.

“By embracing Trump, Gov. Abbott is embracing white nationalism, full stop.

“Texans of every race, age, gender, and faith deserve leadership and an inclusive, forward-thinking vision coming from the Governor’s Mansion, not the codification of hate and lies. You don’t have to look further than right here in our state to see the implementation of this destructive agenda, as Abbott is on the verge of signing into law SB4 — the most egregious anti-immigrant legislation our state has seen.”

“TOP will not hesitate to call out ANY public official who supports Trump and the corruption, incompetence, and cruelty that MAGA represents. Just as in 2016 and 2020, TOP PAC will engage with and mobilize Texans en masse in our physical and digital streets in 2024 to ensure the book on this authoritarian-in-the-making stays closed.”

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TOP PAC moves progressive power forward in Houston municipal election

November 8, 2023

The following statement is from Brianna Brown, Co-Executive Director of Texas Organizing Project (TOP), in response to the group’s success in Houston’s municipal elections:

“Houston voters made clear Tuesday they are hungry for effective progressive leadership at City Hall. We see evidence of this in the decisive re-election win of former TOP organizer and current District B progressive champion Tarsha Jackson, as well as the strong electoral showings of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Dr. Letitia Plummer — all Black progressive women eager to continue to serve the people of Houston.

“Over the span of 10 weeks, TOP PAC’s voter engagement program under our BlackTOP banner made more than 69,000 door knocks across Houston — reaching out to predominantly Black households that for too long have been ignored by traditional political campaigns. BlackTOP was built on the premise that the future of Texas rests in organizing Black folks across the state and getting US to the polls.

“We know the only path to progressive power in our cities and state is through real engagement with Black communities. Texas is home to the greatest number of Black Americans in the U.S., with Harris County — the largest county in Texas and third-largest county in the nation — having the second-largest Black population of all counties.

“Coupled with a targeted Latino voter outreach strategy this election, and by leading with issues that directly impact our everyday lives and taking no community member for granted, TOP PAC is building progressive power on the ground in our neighborhoods to move ALL Houstonians forward — regardless of race, age, gender, or where they call home.”

Dr. Doshie Piper, TOP board president, added: “As voters and community members, WE have the power to elect leaders committed to progress and a future where every Texan can thrive. The candidates we vote for at the local level shape our everyday lives and those of our families.

“Understanding how much is on the line for Houstonians this election — on every issue from housing affordability, to healthcare access, to legal reform, migrants’ rights, voting rights, environmental rights, and more — TOP PAC is on the streets of working Black and Latino neighborhoods pushing for the political and policy shifts our communities deserve.

“We are ecstatic about Tarsha Jackson’s dominating victory and Houston’s Proposition B passing. We now look forward to continuing to champion Sheila Jackson Lee and Dr. Letitia Plummer in their respective runoffs.”

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About Texas Organizing Project (TOP) PAC:

TOP PAC runs the largest, independent get-out-the-vote political field programs in Texas, focusing on expanding the electorate of color, with an emphasis on turning out Black and Latino voters. To date, TOP PAC has mobilized hundreds of thousands of voters across the state with the aim of building a reflective democracy — one that looks like us and shares our values. Learn more at toppac.org.

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TOP reflects on and celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day

October 9, 2023

The following is a statement from Brianna Brown, Co-Executive Director of Texas Organizing Project (TOP), on the organization recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day this year:

“Today, TOP joins in lifting up the past, present, and futures of Indigenous peoples in not just the United States, but around the world.

“As an organization committed to ending systemic oppression in our country as a result of racial capitalism, TOP recognizes the land we inhabit is fraught with violent stories of Indigenous suffering and resistance against the genocidal tool of colonization.

“Injustices faced by Indigenous communities, both then and now, are a stark reminder of the institutional racism embedded in the U.S. – stemming from instruments of white supremacy, from chattel slavery to our current carceral system.

“TOP now practices land acknowledgments in our work because the land reflects the struggles, the strength, and the stories of the people that continue to shape it. As TOP transforms and unequivocally shifts toward becoming a pro-Black organization, we understand racial justice intersects with the fight for Indigenous rights, immigrants’ rights, and economic justice.

“Through building power across BIPOC communities, we are collectively lifting each other up, learning from our mutual experiences, and fighting for liberation of us all – no matter the color of our skin, the language we speak, or where we call home.”

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Paxton Impeachment Trial: TOP Condemns Cowardly Acquittal

September 16, 2023

A Failure of Democracy, Far-Right Extremism is Emboldened, & A Win For Voter Suppression

Today’s sham acquittal of Ken Paxton is an affront to the rule of law and a betrayal of every democratic principle we hold dear. Paxton has proven himself unfit for office, throughout his tenure he used his role to service wealthy donors and a far-right extremist agenda. A Trump and MAGA acolyte, who participated at the January 6th rally ahead of the insurrection at the Capitol and wasted at least $45,000 of taxpayer dollars trying to overturn the 2020 election, Paxton is still also under indictment for securities fraud which has been an ongoing investigation since 2015.

The following is a joint statement from Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Co-Executive Directors Brianna Brown and Michelle Tremillo, on Paxton not being convicted on any of the 16 articles of impeachment:

Michelle Tremillo stated, “From Trump, to Clarence Thomas, and now Paxton, we are witnessing a grand display of the normalization of corruption and far-right extremism. This must stop.”

Brianna Brown added, “Paxton isn’t just a singular corrupt individual; he’s part of a larger corrupt ecosystem that has compromised healthcare for millions, endangered the basic rights of millions, and eroded the very foundations of democracy. We’re sick of Texas being the GOP’s lab for anti-democratic policies while their party leaders erase decades of progress.”

With this trial outcome, TOP calls on the Texas State Bar to revoke Ken Paxton’s license to practice law. While the Attorney General of Texas does not need to be a licensed attorney, the revocation of his license would force Paxton to delegate critical responsibilities, further highlighting his unfitness for office.

Additionally, because of this acquittal verdict, we’re forced to place our hope in federal institutions to do what our state elected officials lacked the courage to do in rooting out political corruption. The FBI’s ongoing investigation into Paxton is a small beacon of hope that justice may yet prevail.

This acquittal is also a wake-up call. TOP will continue to do what we do best: organize and mobilize Black and Latino communities across Texas. Come November 2026, we’ll defeat Paxton at the ballot box, if he isn’t already found guilty in his securities fraud trial, of course. We demand better, and we will continue the fight to elect officials who represent the democratic principles and human decency that Texas and the U.S. deserve.

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About Texas Organizing Project

Texas Organizing Project (TOP) organizes Black and Latino communities in Dallas, Harris, Bexar, and Fort Bend counties with the goal of transforming Texas into a state where working people of color have the power and representation they deserve. For more information, visit organizetexas.org.

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TOP reflects as National Hispanic Heritage Month starts

September 15, 2023

The following is a statement from Michelle Tremillo, Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Co-Executive Director, on the organization’s observance of National Hispanic Heritage Month this year:

“This month and every month, TOP celebrates the lives, contributions, and sacrifices of those across our diverse Latino communities whose resilience and tenacity has shaped the United States and our society for generations.

“It is the vibrancy of our Latinidad – inclusive of and strengthened by our Afro-Latino and Indigenous brothers and sisters – that strikes fear into the hearts of not just far-right extremists, but corporate bosses who for centuries have wielded racial capitalism to divide us.

“As an organization committed to racial and economic justice, we’re not playing their colonial game entrenched in anti-Blackness and colorism; we’re flipping the script because we know the fates of Black and Latino Americans are inextricably linked.

“Attaining our collective liberation will require an unshakeable solidarity that spans race, gender, age, background, language, and economic status – a solidarity ingrained in TOP’s mission and demonstrated every day in the communities we organize.

“This is how we build our movement – by affirming that we are stronger together. This is how we create the Texas of our dreams where every person can thrive, a Texas for all.”

Julie Vazquez, TOP board member from Dallas County, added:

“GOP “leaders” like Gov. Greg Abbott and Donald Trump try to marginalize us at every turn, because they know the sheer power of our communities and how we are a threat to the status quo.

“Latinos are now more than 63 million strong nationwide, with 12 million of us residing in Texas alone, officially making up the biggest share of our state’s population as of this year.

“It is on us to bring our best selves to this fight for the future Black, Latino, and all Texans deserve; a future where healthcare is more accessible, housing is more affordable, public education is more supported, and our legal system is more just. TOP remains unwavering in showing up to this fight and doing the gritty on-the-ground organizing work needed to win.”

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TOP statement on latest DACA court ruling

September 14, 2023

The following statement is from Damaris Gonzalez, Statewide Immigration Lead Organizer of Texas Organizing Project (TOP), in reaction to U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen once again ruling against the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:

“Conservative judges like Andrew Hanen can keep issuing awful rulings, but the truth is no legal challenge will ever break our movement for liberation.

“No person — regardless of race, documentation status, or nationality — should have to endure this legal limbo, where our basic humanity is called into question with every lawsuit rooted in white supremacy that Republicans file against DACA.

“Each passing day of congressional inaction on passing permanent protections for DACA recipients is an insult to migrant families that contribute to and move this country forward.

“We demand the Biden administration now urge leaders in the U.S. House and Senate to prioritize a pathway to citizenship for not only DACA recipients, but for the 11 million migrants who fuel our country and who for years have been living in fear of deportation. Every legal option must be exhausted to ensure that Dreamers such as myself have the freedom to thrive in this country that we call home.”

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About Texas Organizing Project:TOP organizes Black and Latino communities in Dallas, Harris, Bexar, and Fort Bend counties with the goal of transforming Texas into a state where working people of color have the power and representation they deserve. For more information, visit organizetexas.org.

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TOP Calls For Paxton Accountability As Impeachment Trial Set To Begin

September 4, 2023

Former Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has proven himself unfit for leadership time and time again. During his tenure, Paxton abused the power of this office, using his role to service wealthy donors and a far-right agenda. A Trump and MAGA acolyte, who participated at the January 6th rally ahead of the insurrection at the Capitol, he has also been under indictment for securities fraud since 2015. The following is a joint statement from Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Co-Executive Directors, Brianna Brown and Michelle Tremillo, on the start of Paxton’s impeachment trial:

Brianna Brown, TOP Co-Executive Director, said, “Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial is not just a reckoning for one man’s corruption; it’s a referendum on an Attorney General who has consistently made life harder for many Texans, particularly Black and Latino communities. From voter suppression to leading the effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, his record is a laundry list of policies that harm the most vulnerable Texans. And let’s not forget Paxton’s audacious attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, another glaring example of his willingness to undermine democracy for political gain. Paxton’s behavior is a betrayal of Texans’ trust and an affront to the principles of justice and fairness that should guide any Attorney General.”

Michelle Tremillo, TOP Co-Executive Director, emphasized, “Unlike Paxton, Texas deserves an Attorney General who actively champions voter engagement and defends democracy. Our communities want an Attorney General who fights voter suppression under the Americans with Disabilities Act and protects constitutional rights by scrutinizing counties that criminalize voting. It’s time for an Attorney General who serves the interests of all Texans and expands access to the ballot box.”

The Paxton impeachment trial is an essential step in restoring Texans’ faith in democratic institutions and ensuring that future elected officials know that if they exploit their powerful positions for personal gain, there will be consequences.

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TOP Commemorates Labor Day

The following is a statement from Trent Breitung, Staff Union President of Texas Organizing Project (TOP), on the organization’s observance of Labor Day this year:

“Like clockwork, Texas Republican electeds — including of course Gov. Greg Abbott — will take to social media today to wish their constituents a happy Labor Day, and all while supporting a law they designed to block local governments from enacting measures such as greater labor protections for everyday Texans.

“The cognitive dissonance is asinine, but completely on-brand for politicians who are terrified of working Texans, especially Black and Latino Texans, having access to such “outlandish perks,” like water breaks on the job, paid sick leave, and safeguards against eviction.

“Plain and simple, it’s OUR labor that drives this state forward each and every day — and no matter our age, race, place, gender, who you love, or who you pray to, we as Texans know our worth, and we are worth so much more than what these electeds who are undercutting workers’ rights would have us believe.

“A unionized workplace, TOP prides itself in showing solidarity with Black and Latino labor allies across the state and nation, as we collectively fight egregious policies attacking our communities and strive to ensure an equitable, dignified work environment for every person who calls this country home.”

Perla Garcia, TOP board member from Harris County, added:

“Despite what our governor and his GOP cronies tell us, Texans want legislation that will uplift the humanity of workers and allow them to earn a living wage, so that they can better provide for their families. We’re ready for it; we’re fighting for it.

“Workers’ rights — regardless of our nationality, faith, or color of our skin — are human rights, and under a true Texas For All that we one day will reach, these rights will be expanded and fully enshrined.”

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TOP Celebrates Historic Win for New Mothers in Texas: A Full Year of Medicaid Coverage

August 31, 2023

Solid Start Towards Equitable Healthcare, but the Fight for Full Medicaid Expansion in Texas Continues

Texas Organizing Project (TOP) is proud to have played a role in securing a healthcare legislative victory for Texas families. Starting tomorrow, September 1, 2023, new mothers will benefit from extended Medicaid coverage for a full year after childbirth. This policy change marks a huge step forward in the fight for equitable healthcare access in Texas, particularly for Black mothers who have been hit hardest by the maternal health crisis.

TOP Board Member Dr. Doshie Piper shared, “Extending Medicaid coverage for a full year postpartum will save lives and improve health outcomes for both mothers and their children. TOP, along with its members and allies, has been at the forefront of this fight, and we are thrilled to see our hard organizing work translate into meaningful policy change.”

Dr. Piper continued, “The significance of this policy change is especially impactful for Black mothers, who face a maternal mortality rate in Texas that is twice as high as that of white women. The root causes of this crisis are deeply entrenched in systemic inequalities, including racial bias in healthcare and inadequate access to culturally competent care providers.”

TOP SW Healthcare Organizer Ivory Howard added, “Every Texan deserves access to affordable healthcare—regardless of age, race, gender, or income level. Together, we need to continue to push for Texas to expand Medicaid and dismantle the barriers that perpetuate these health disparities.”

TOP Co-Executive Director Brianna Brown emphasized that, “We’re proud of this Medicaid policy win but there is still a long road ahead of us to transform Texas into a state where the health of all its communities, particularly Black and Latino neighborhoods, is paramount.

This legislation comes at a pivotal moment with the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency ending, which has already resulted in half a million Texans being kicked off Medicaid coverage. Previously, Medicaid benefits were limited to just 60 days postpartum. This extension aims to prevent maternal deaths and address health issues identified during pregnancy, especially crucial given that Medicaid covers nearly half of all births in Texas.

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About Texas Organizing Project (TOP)

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