Statement from Brianna Brown, Co-Executive Director of the Texas Organizing Project (TOP):

“Texas Organizing Project (TOP) is deeply saddened and outraged by the clear display of white supremacy that took place at the Allen outlet mall in Texas this past weekend killing eight Texans, including two elementary school-age sisters and a 3-year-old boy.

“The absolute least Texas House officials could have done in response this week was to have scheduled HB 2744 – which would have raised the minimum purchase age for semi-automatic weapons in the state to 21 years old –  for a full House floor vote before the legislative session ends. The policy is supported by a majority of Texans, with 76% of Texas voters support raising the gun purchase age from 18 to 21.

“While details of the investigation are still unfolding, it’s known the shooter openly espoused white supremacist beliefs and targeted Jews and women in his social media posts. This heinous act of violence is a sobering reminder that hate and the dangerous ideology of white supremacy continue to plague our society.

“As an organization committed to advancing racial and economic justice, TOP understands full well there’s a throughline between white supremacy and the growing number of violent attacks across Texas and our country, and we are steadfast in condemning and combating violence stemming from white supremacist ideology at every turn.

“This includes fighting to dismantle structures that perpetuate white supremacy in our country today, as we strive to create an equitable, more just future for all communities.”

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About Texas Organizing Project (TOP)

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 May 10, 2023.

The following statements are from TOP members in Bexar County in response to TOP-endorsed candidates Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (Dist. 2) and Teri Castillo (Dist. 5) handily winning re-election to San Antonio City Council:

Dr. Doshie Piper of San Antonio, TOP Board President:

“In the face of vicious attacks on his identity this election, Jalen McKee-Rodrigeuz is proudly returning to San Antonio City Hall and is ready to continue delivering results for all District 2 residents — no matter their age, race, or background. From his first campaign to now, TOP has supported Jalen as he has championed progressive policies to improve the lives of San Antonians, ranging from housing and policing reforms to infrastructure investments. We know more is on the horizon for District 2, as Jalen remains committed to defending the rights of constituents while fighting for bold and equitable solutions to advance our city.”

Elizabeth Davila of San Antonio, TOP member:

“Fresh off a dominant election night, Teri Castillo is prepared to get back to work at City Hall and fight for everyday San Antonians. TOP has seen firsthand Teri’s passion for serving District 5 and her level of attentiveness when it comes to ensuring constituents’ needs are heard. Our city is in need of more knowledgeable, people-powered leaders like Teri who want to build a future where all residents can live free and thrive. We are proud to have helped her win re-election and look forward to continuing to work with her to win more progressive change to improve quality of life in San Antonio.”

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About Texas Organizing Project (TOP)

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 May 6, 2023.

Statement from Dr. Doshie Piper, Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Board President, calling on the Texas House to pass HB 12:

“Texas has one of the highest maternal death rates across the U.S. Black mothers are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white mothers. This is a public health crisis, and it’s time for the Texas Legislature to take action.

“House Bill 12 would significantly cut our maternal death rate by allowing Texans with Medicaid to stay covered for a full year after their pregnancies — rather than kicking them off after just two months under current law. That means moms are covered for complications, check-ups, postpartum depression, and more. It also means Texans — especially Black moms — will be better equipped to seek out care, stay healthy, and live full lives.

“TOP urges the Texas Legislature to pass House Bill 12 and invest in the health and well-being of our mothers and families. If we care about the health and well-being of moms in Texas, it’s the right thing to do.”

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About Texas Organizing Project (TOP)

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 April 20, 2023.

The following statement is from Jessica Azua, Immigration Justice Director of the Texas Organizing Project (TOP), in response to President Joe Biden announcing Thursday his administration will expand healthcare coverage for DACA recipients:

“This move from the Biden administration is as appreciated as it is needed. An estimated 47 percent of people likely eligible for DACA are uninsured, compared to 10 percent of U.S.-born people in their age group.

“Growing up in and contributing to our communities, DACA recipients’ access to healthcare is vital to our country’s future success. This critical expansion of affordable healthcare access through Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges will provide hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients and their family members with financial relief and added peace of mind.

“Also, to hear President Biden firmly state that healthcare is a right in his remarks is undoubtedly a step in the right direction for our movement. No matter one’s status, age, race, gender, or income, we all deserve accessible and affordable quality healthcare.

“Now we expect Biden to hold true to his word and ensure this new policy is widely publicized to DACA recipients and implemented in full. Additionally, we renew our call for him and his administration to do everything within their power to not only protect the DACA program from politically-motivated attacks, but provide a pathway to citizenship for all DACA recipients.”

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About Texas Organizing Project (TOP)

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 April 14, 2023.

The following statement is from Terrance “TK” Koontz of BlackTOP, in response to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pushing to pardon Daniel Perry, a man convicted Friday of murdering Garrett Foster at a Black Lives Matter protest in Austin in 2020:

“While Gov. Abbott disregards the treatment of Black and Latino Texans who demand justice by exercising their right to protest, bold Texans continue to call for an end to police brutality, discriminatory housing practices, and a healthcare system based in racism. Through his latest actions, Abbott is submitting to the will of far-right radicals at the expense of everyday working Texans. This latest ploy by Abbott is a message to all who fight for justice that their lives have no value in the eyes of Republican state leaders. Abbott’s words and behavior epitomize poor leadership, and show his lack of vision for making Texas into a state where all can thrive, a Texas4All.”

“His call to invalidate a guilty verdict reached by a jury of Daniel Perry’s peers only a day after being goaded on-air by shameless bigot Tucker Carlson proves how unfit he is to lead Texas. It underscores his inability to champion humane solutions to matters that impact our daily lives. Abbott is blinded by his decades of prejudice against historically marginalized people in our state – Black Texans in particular.”

“We are keeping in our thoughts the loved ones of Garrett Foster, including his fiancée Whitney Mitchell who Garrett was helping protest that fateful day, as they are having any shred of justice cruelly taken away from them.” 

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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 April 11, 2023.

Following a thorough process of written questionnaires and interviews, Texas Organizing Project (TOP) members of Bexar County have voted to endorse Jalen McKee-Rodriguez for re-election to San Antonio City Council District 2, and Teri Castillo for re-election to San Antonio City Council District 5. TOP members also voted to endorse Proposition A, the San Antonio Justice Charter.

TOP Board President Dr. Doshie Piper of Bexar County:

“The first openly gay Black man to be elected to any office in Texas, Jalen McKee-Rodriguez has worked to improve quality of life for every resident of District 2 — no matter age, race, or background. Jalen’s community engagement efforts have been undeniable as he has been an active force for good while on City Council, championing pandemic relief, neighborhood infrastructure investments, as well as housing and policing reforms. He’s looking out for everyday working San Antonians, and just as in 2021, TOP is proud to be in his corner this election.

TOP Bexar County Leadership Team member Jade Pacheco:

“From her time as a housing organizer to now, Teri Castillo has made clear she is committed to lifting up working San Antonio families and creating a better city where every person can grow and thrive. More importantly, she has shown a commitment to equity in issues that impact our lives and those of our neighbors, ranging from tenants’ rights, to healthcare, to climate change, to local law enforcement. In her first term, Teri has proven to be a progressive fighter, and as TOP we are excited to get out the vote for her once again so she can continue to get results for District 5.”

TOP Board Member Kevin LeMelle of Bexar County:

“Through the San Antonio Justice Charter, we have an opportunity to vote for a brighter future for the entire city — especially for Black and Latino residents. This package of common sense reforms will decrease unnecessary arrests, reduce racial profiling in policing, conserve city resources, make our communities safer, and save lives once passed at the ballot box. Every San Antonian deserves to feel safe and have their dignity upheld. This citywide proposition gets us closer to that.”

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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 March 24, 2023.

The following statement is from Brianna Brown, Co-Executive Director of the Texas Organizing Project, in reaction to bodycam footage made public Friday of five Black Memphis police officers violently beating Tyre Nichols on the streets of his neighborhood, ultimately leading to his death: 

“These gruesome, sinister acts captured on video and released to the public once again confirm to Black people across the country what we already know to be true: that law enforcement dehumanizes us.

“The sheer brutality inflicted on Tyre Nichols further shows how the violent legacy of white supremacy is still at the foundation of policing institutions in the United States today, no matter the race or ethnicity of officers. As report after report continues to show, Black people are still killed by police at a higher rate than other groups.

“One does not have to subject themself to watching trauma-inducing footage of Black death to fully understand the magnitude of the atrocity committed by Memphis police.

“Only yards away from the safety of his home, it was a reprehensible abuse of power of the badge that ended Tyre’s life. There is no justification whatsoever for the inhumanity unleashed on him.

“With raised fists, our hearts are with the Nichols family during this emotionally jarring time. We demand these officers be held to nothing short of full accountability for their vile actions. Eliminating police brutality is only possible through a complete, community-driven overhaul and reimagining of policing itself ― a fight TOP continues to be fully committed to.”

Synnachia McQueen, a TOP Right2Justice campaign member in Harris County, added: 

“Pepper-sprayed, tased, and horrifically beaten, Tyre Nichol’s murder is indicative of a legal system that for centuries has devalued and dehumanized Black lives at each turn.

“Every person ― regardless of where they come from, what they look like, or where they live ― is deserving of having their basic rights respected and dignity upheld.

“To be clear, a beloved son and father is no longer with us because five Memphis police officers ruthlessly violated Tyre’s rights and dignity AND because their actions are rooted in the history of white supremacy in this country. The officers and the system must be held to account.”

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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 January 28, 2023.

The following statement is from Michelle Tremillo, Co-Executive Director of Texas Organizing Project (TOP), in response to the two-year mark of former President Donald Trump inciting white supremacist supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn a national election and overthrow the federal government:

“Our nation’s democracy is still as fragile as ever now two years after the white nationalist violence that transpired at our nation’s Capitol on January 6, 2021.

“The findings of the House Select Committee on January 6 over the course of the last year were invaluable, as they exposed just how entrenched and complicit Donald Trump and far-right figures were in an elaborate plot to cling to power by reversing an entire presidential election.

“A handful of these same far-right 2020 election deniers and insurrectionist sympathizers are still wielding power as government officials and are dead set on dismantling democratic processes, weaponizing the rule of law to attack Black and Latino communities, and stifling opposition to their extremist agenda.

“We are seeing them in action right now in the halls of Congress, as they seek to extract as many concessions as they can in the House speaker’s race, with one of their main goals being to gaslight Americans about what took place on January 6, and to seek vengeance on those who spoke up to tell the truth.

“No matter our age, race, or political leanings, all in our country deserve representation from elected leaders who want to preserve our democracy, not destroy it. TOP will not stand idly by as far-right politicians try to minimize the clear-cut white supremacy we as a nation witnessed on January 6.

“We also will never forget our state’s GOP elected officials who purposely cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 election results.”

Ken Paxton (Texas Attorney General)Ted Cruz (U.S. Senator)Keith Self (Texas’ 3rd Congressional District)Pat Fallon (Texas’ 4th Congressional District)Lance Gooden (Texas’ 5th Congressional District)Morgan Luttrell (Texas’ 8th Congressional District)August Pfluger (Texas’ 11th Congressional District)Ronny Jackson (Texas’ 13th Congressional District)Randy Weber (Texas’ 14th Congressional District)Monica De La Cruz (Texas’ 15th Congressional District)

Pete Sessions (Texas’ 17th Congressional District)Jodey C. Arrington (Texas’ 19th Congressional District)Troy E. Nehls (Texas’ 22nd Congressional District)Beth Van Duyne (Texas’ 24th Congressional District)Roger Wiliams (Texas’ 25th Congressional District)Michael C. Burgess (Texas’ 26th Congressional District)Michael Cloud (Texas’ 27th Congressional District)John Carter (Texas’ 31st Congressional District)Brian Babin (Texas’ 36th Congressional District)

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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 January 6, 2023.

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.

The following statement is from Brianna Brown, Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Co-Executive Director, in response to former President Donald Trump formally announcing his run for the presidency in 2024:

“The sheer fact that Donald J. Trump, an egotistical con man who attempted to overturn an election and incited a horde of white supremacists to storm the U.S. Capitol, has the gall to announce a run for a second presidential term speaks volumes about the fragile state of our democracy, as well as how the wealthy and powerful in our country can unjustly evade accountability for their heinous wrongdoings.

“Trump is an abomination who deserves retribution, not another shot at the presidency. He is not only the embodiment of corruption, he is the poster child of white nationalism in our country today, and is being propped up by far-right election deniers, like Texas’ own criminally-indicted attorney general Ken Paxton. 

“TOP will also continue to shine a light on the 18 current Texas-serving elected officials – including Paxton – who fully deny the legitimacy of the 2020 election results. 

“Just as we did during the 2020 election cycle, our Black and Latino communities are more than ready to show up to the polls again in historic numbers to stop Trump and all that he represents in 2024, should Republicans dare nominate him.”

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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 November 16, 2022.