The following statement is from Terrance “TK” Koontz of BlackTOP, in response to WNBA star and activist Brittney Griner being freed from a Russian penal colony and returned home to the U.S.
“The scale of our work as organizers is freedom. Just like Harriet, Fannie Lou, and Dr. King before us, Brittany coming home is plotted on that freedom scale. After being unjustly locked up and dehumanized for months, a daughter of our state is on her way back to her home. It’s not lost on us how the intersection of her identities as a Black, queer woman makes it impossible for some to see the value for her life.
“BlackTOP stands in solidarity with Black people all across the country who called attention to this and organized around the disgusting treatment of Brittney at the hands of Russian authorities, and we commend the Biden administration for following through on securing her release.”
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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. With offices in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, BlackTOP launched canvassing programs across multiple Texas counties to talk to, organize, and mobilize Black voters ahead of the 2022 election. For more information, visit blacktoptexas.org.
This statement was sent out December 8, 2022.