The following statement is from David Villalobos, Statewide Right2Justice Coordinator of the Texas Organizing Project, in response to President Joe Biden announcing steps his administration will take to pardon all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession and urge governors to pardon simple state possession offenses.

“The positive change that President Biden’s actions will have on the lives of thousands of Americans cannot be overstated.

“His announcement marks a significant step in the right direction toward the marijuana reform that a clear majority in our country support. Already, twenty states and Washington D.C. have legalized marijuana for nonmedical use.

“It also signals a further shift away from failed and discriminatory War on Drugs policies that for decades have targeted Black and Latino communities – tearing apart families, devastating neigborhoods, and contributing to our nation’s astronomical incarceration rate.”

Mattie Jackson, a TOP Right2Justice campaign member in Houston added:

“Black Americans are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana charges than their white peers, yet both consume marijuana at roughly the same rates, underscoring how reforming our nation’s laws on marijuana IS about racial and economic justice.

“These bold steps from President Biden are absolutely welcome and must be expanded on. Countless promising lives have been shattered by our unjust marijuana policies rooted in racism.

“Will Greg Abbott now act on President Biden’s call for governors to pardon simple state marijuana possession offenses? Knowing our radical, out-of-touch governor, we’re not holding our breath. Of course he won’t.”

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Texas Organizing Project 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.

Today, Texas Organizing Project (TOP) PAC and Florida Rising are jointly condemning the disgusting action taken by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ to cruelly fly migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. DeSantis’ follows Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s lead of busing migrants to Washington D.C. earlier this year. By lying and deceiving vulnerable individuals and asylum-seekers who have the right to be in this country, both men have confirmed how shameless their radical, dehumanizing politics are when it comes to caring about the wellbeing of people in need of humanitarian aid. Not only are their actions inhumane, they are also potentially illegal, and the Bexar County Sheriff has opened a criminal investigation into the move to trick migrants into flying to Massachusetts.

TOP and Florida Rising are committed to removing these shameless Republicans from office in November, and we are engaging hundreds of thousands of voters in Florida and in Texas to reach that goal. These inhumane acts also echo back to “Reverse Freedom Rides,” during the 1960s when Southern segregationists sent Black Americans to northern states in an attempt engineered to expose liberals’ alleged hypocrisy. The Reverse Freedom Rides have largely been left out of our country’s historical narrative. Many of these individuals currently affected by these horrifying PR stunts, like the Black families 60 years ago, have traveled on the false pretenses of receiving jobs and housing. 

TOP Co-Executive Director Michelle Tremillo, released the following statement: “Abbott’s plot to deceitfully transport migrants reveals what TOP members have known for some time—our GOP governor couldn’t care less about the rights, health, and wellbeing of migrants and their families. Instead of working toward real policy solutions on behalf of Texans and migrants, Republicans would rather exploit and play politics with real human lives. Now, more than ever, the need for change and leadership in Texas, as in Florida, is clear, and we at TOP are fighting to engage Black and Latino communities who will help us build a better state.

Florida Rising’s Executive Director Andrea Mercado echoed the outrage: “Governors DeSantis and Abbott are on full display of their endless hypocrisy but, mostly, cruelty. In an electoral cycle, they take advantage of the pain of those who fled authoritarian regimes, adding insult to injury as an evil electoral tactic. These Republican leaders are using asylum seekers to play an outrageous political game. Their lack of compassion is abysmal, but even worse, their disrespect, time and again, for the Hispanic community once again affirms that racism and xenophobia are the GOP’s marching orders. But our communities’ marching orders are clear– voting out DeSantis and Abbott on November 8th.” 

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Texas Organizing Project (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. For more information, visit toppac.org.

Florida Rising (FR) is an independent political organization working to increase the voting and political power of historically marginalized and excluded constituencies toward an inclusive, equitable, and just Florida. For more information, visit floridarising.org. 

This joint statement was sent out September 21, 2022.

The following statement is from Sylvia Flores, a Texas Organizing Project (TOP) member in San Antonio and tenant of Seven Oaks Apartments, in response to San Antonio City Council including a proposal to create a code enforcement apartment inspection team in the city’s budget being passed today:

“The hard work and on-the-ground organizing of San Antonio tenants is the reason why an increase in apartment code enforcement is even being discussed today in the first place.

“As a current resident of Seven Oaks Apartments, a complex that has had multiple code violations in the last few months alone, this call for more code enforcement officers to work on apartment property maintenance inspections is long overdue and a definite step in the right direction.

“As community groups like TOP continue to shine a light on the substandard housing conditions thousands of San Antonio tenants are currently living in, our mayor and city council need to build on today’s progress by passing long term policy solutions. This is the only way to ensure that more San Antonians have a clean, safe, and affordable place to call home, and that abusive landlords are being held accountable. Our local elected leaders can’t just call it a day on this critical issue.

“Housing is a human right, and each and every resident of our city — regardless of their age, race, gender, or economic status — deserves a sanitary and secure place to live. We need those who represent us at City Hall to work toward adopting policies that get us closer to making this a reality for all San Antonians.”

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Texas Organizing Project organizes Black and Latino communities in Dallas, Harris and Bexar 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.

This press release was sent out September 15, 2022.

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

“Now celebrating our second Labor Day as a unionized workplace – the first of which with a ratified collective bargaining agreement – TOP is proud to stand on the shoulders of generations of Black and Latino labor and civil rights leaders as we continue to build toward being the most equitable and supportive workplace we can be.

“Living through this pandemic has shown us firsthand how the future prosperity of our nation hinges on workers’ rights. While corporate forces work around the clock to diminish our inherent worth and the collective power of our labor, TOP continues to be a vocal proponent with our labor allies for raising the minimum wage to a living wage, and ensuring Texans have access to the paid sick leave they deserve.

“No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence,” said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., words that ring as true as ever and are reflected in our organization’s values.

Eric Mata, TOP Board President, added:

“No matter our age, race, or background, all Texans deserve access to good-paying stable jobs with benefits that allow all to grow and thrive. Workers’ rights are human rights – and the recent unionization boom being seen across our country further affirms this. 

“This Labor Day, I am particularly proud to see TOP as now officially part of the labor movement in an exciting new way, and through a resurgence of organizing, I am optimistic about what the future holds for workers nationwide.”

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Texas Organizing Project 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.

This statement was sent out September 5, 2022.