The following statement is from Damaris Gonzalez, Statewide Immigration Lead Organizer of Texas Organizing Project (TOP), in reaction to the Houston Chronicle reporting on Texas DPS officers abusing and showing callous disregard for asylum-seekers at our nation’s southern border:

“Gov. Abbott will stop at nothing to win over the GOP’s growing white nationalist wing.

“As cruel as he tries to be to outdo his flailing Florida counterpart, Abbott will soon find his own presidential prospects are much like his soul: bleak.

“The heinous details exposed in the Houston Chronicle’s reporting only confirm what we know to be true — that Abbott is a conniving extremist who views asylum-seekers as subhuman.

“This development is consistent with the depraved contempt he has recently shown toward our state’s migrant families and everyday working Texans.

“TOP joins human rights advocates across the nation in demanding the Biden administration put a stop to and investigate the atrocities Texas DPS are commiting along our border under Gov. Abbott’s direction.”

“All Texans — regardless of age, race, or place — deserve a governor who sees the full humanity in people seeking asylum, not one who cynically exploits and brutalizes them.”

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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.

The following statement is from Brianna Brown, Co-Executive Director of the Texas Organizing Project (TOP), reflecting on Independence Day this year:

“The irony of our nation’s most authoritarian politicians using July 4th to espouse independence and personal freedoms is not lost on us one bit.

“Whether enacting regressive policies, litigating in defense of them, or permitting them from a court bench, it’s these officials who are weaponizing government to clamp down on human rights and civil liberties – all with the purpose of sustaining white supremacy.

“Here in our state, the advancement of far-right fundamentalism being enabled by Gov. Abbott is endangering lives, especially those of Black, Latino, and LGBTQIA+ Texans.

“When our sheer existence is seen as a threat to those who are elected to serve us, and when those same electeds are codifying the erasure of our communities, calls to celebrate our freedoms on this day feel even more feigned.

“All who call this country home deserve justice and the ability to lead happy, full lives — no matter our age, race, gender, or income.

“Through continuous organizing, TOP and our movement allies are planting seeds to challenge the powers that be and transform our institutions to make this revolutionary change a reality.”

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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.

This statement was sent out July 4, 2023.

Rulings Reinforce Systemic Racism Ingrained In Higher Education, Turn Their Back On Black & Latino Students 

The following statement is from Brianna Brown, Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Co-Executive Director condemning decisions by the Supreme Court to eliminate race as a factor in admissions at universities and strike down President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan:

“These Supreme Court rulings are a direct assault on equity and diversity, principles that historically have been absent from our nation’s higher education system. They threaten to derail decades of progress made in our fight for racial and economic justice.

“Without considering race in achieving educational diversity all but ensures student populations at campuses of elite institutions will become even less diverse, unjustly sidelining Black and Latino students from educational advancement. This isn’t just a shift in demographics; this reversal of long-standing precedent is a kiss on the cheek to white supremacy, and is a threat to the attainment of higher education for students of color.

“Furthermore, by blocking President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, the Supreme Court is doubling-down on reinforcing a status quo that is burdening millions of Americans financially – a disproportionate amount being women of color.

“Let’s be clear: elections have consequences. The people we put in power make decisions that can profoundly shape our lives and society at large. Our fight against the far-right’s insidious agenda must be relentless, and our collective power must be felt where it counts – on the streets and at the ballot box.

“We’re fighting for a future where every student, no matter their race, nationality, age, or income level, can access the high-quality education they deserve and not be straddled by years and years of debt.

“Here in Texas, and across the nation, our movement isn’t going to stop fighting this fight – not until every person has the opportunity to learn to their fullest extent, reach success, and build a bright future they seek to make for themselves.”

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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.

This statement was sent out June 30, 2023.