Month: May 2024

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TOP: “Justice is finally catching up to Donald Trump”

May 31, 2024

The following statement is from Brianna Brown, Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Co-Executive Director, in response to former President Donald Trump being found guilty on all 34 felony counts in his New York hush money trial:

“Justice is finally catching up to Donald Trump.

“He can whine and gaslight the public all he wants, but the fact remains that Trump – a coup-plotting, twice-impeached racist who’s racked up four criminal indictments – has rightfully been found guilty on 34 felony counts by a jury of his peers.

“Meanwhile, here in Texas, MAGA loyalists Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton, and Ted Cruz, are taking to social media to deflect and provide political cover for a con man who attempted to overturn an election and who incited a horde of white supremacists to storm the U.S. Capitol.

“No matter what we look like or where we come from, each and every one of us deserves elected leaders who will defend our democracy and fairly govern with integrity. Any official who lies to the American people, stokes violence and division, and refuses to take responsibility for the harm they cause is unfit to represent us. 

“While Trump’s self-inflicted legal woes continue, TOP will be in Black and Latino neighborhoods across Texas this fall, engaging with voters at their doorstep and countering his white nationalist MAGA agenda with a bold, transformative #TexasForAll vision where progressive, people-powered candidates uphold our rights and freedoms.”

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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.

HOME > 2024 > May

TOP PAC congratulates endorsed progressive candidates on hard-fought primary runoff wins

May 29, 2024

The following statement is from Michelle Tremillo, Co-Executive Director of the Texas Organizing Project (TOP), commenting on TOP-endorsed candidate victories in Tuesday’s Texas Democratic primary runoff:

“Tuesday’s election results make clear once more that progressive values, policies, and leaders are the future of Texas.

“TOP is building this future each election cycle through year-round, issue-based organizing rooted in economic and racial justice that links what matters in the daily lives of Black and Latino Texans to the ballot box.

“Our members are proud to have endorsed Rebeca Clay-Flores (Bexar County Commissioner, Pct. 1), Molly Cook (Texas Senate, Dist. 15), Lauren Ashley Simmons (Texas State Representative, Dist. 146), as well as Annette Ramirez (Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector), and we congratulate them on their runoff wins Tuesday. This is what happens when a people-powered progressive agenda is coupled with vigorous on-the-ground voter engagement. 

“This vision is needed now more than ever as we counter unprecedented right-wing attacks on our basic rights, while paving the road to the future where ALL Texans are represented fairly – regardless of our race, age, faith, gender, or economic status.”

Dr. Doshie Piper, TOP Board Co-President, added:

“The outcomes of these primary runoffs unequivocally show the expansion of progressive influence throughout our state, with Black and Latino Texas voters having their presence felt.

“The general election is fast approaching, and TOP PAC is fully prepared to utilize this progressive momentum to meaningfully connect with voters at their doorstep and further transform the political terrain of Texas.”

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Texas Organizing Project PAC runs the largest, independent get-out-the-vote political 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.

HOME > 2024 > May

Texas Organizing Project Condemns NRA and Trump’s Extremist Agenda at Dallas Annual Meeting

May 18, 2024

DALLAS – The Texas Organizing Project (TOP) strongly condemns the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) annual meeting in Dallas this weekend and former President Donald Trump’s extremist agenda that continues to fuel division and violence across the United States. TOP stands in solidarity with those advocating for comprehensive gun safety measures to address the urgent crisis of gun violence in our communities.

The NRA’s influence and rhetoric have long perpetuated a culture of fear and division, epitomized by their support of Donald Trump, who received more than $30 million from the NRA during his 2016 campaign. Under Trump’s leadership, the NRA intensified its fear-mongering and divisive rhetoric, casting Trump’s opponents in apocalyptic terms and inciting distrust and animosity. 

As the NRA gathers in Dallas, TOP highlights the stark contrast between the NRA’s agenda and the urgent need for gun safety reforms. The NRA’s influence has directly opposed measures that could prevent tragedies like the El Paso shooting, where a white supremacist targeted a predominantly Latino community, killing 22 people and injuring 24 others. This monstrous act, driven by racial hatred, underscores the profound impact of white supremacy and the pressing need for comprehensive gun control measures.

“Hosting the NRA’s annual meeting in Dallas is a painful reminder of the countless lives lost to gun violence and the NRA’s role in blocking basic safety measures,” said OEshay Hutchinson, a  community organizer with TOP’s Right2Justice campaign in Dallas County. “Donald Trump’s extremist agenda and the NRA’s relentless opposition to gun legislation prioritize profit over people, further endangering our communities.”

The NRA’s convention coincides with the anniversaries of the Santa Fe High School shooting and Uvalde tragedy in our state, where dozens of lives were horrifically cut short. These anniversaries serve as somber reminders of the urgent need for action. 

“We stand with the families affected by gun violence and demand meaningful change NOW!” Hutchinson continued. “The NRA and Trump’s words only serve to deepen the divide in our country and incite violence. But as Texans, we know we are stronger together! It’s time to put the safety and well-being of our communities ahead of the interests of the gun lobby. Let’s continue to build power and elect progressive community champions to every level of government. ALL Texans – regardless of our race, income, or ZIP Code – deserve to live in an environment free from the threat of gun violence.”

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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.

HOME > 2024 > May

BlackTOP statement on Gov. Abbott pardoning convicted murderer Daniel Perry

May 17, 2024

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

“Yesterday, Gov. Greg Abbott pardoned a convicted murderer, seemingly because in Abbott’s eyes Black lives have little if any value. 

“Our governor refuses to acknowledge the countless contributions that Black Texans have made and continue to make in spite of years of systemic oppression that our communities have endured. Black Texans have the right to demand humane treatment. Like countless politicians before him, his fear of acknowledging and taking accountability for the tragic history of anti-Black racism and racial capitalism in this state leads him to turn a blind eye when dehumanization is thrust upon Texans exercising their constitutional rights. These are Texans taking a stand against the brutalization of Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement, and who voice their support for our collective liberation. This is how much Abbott dreads doing what’s morally right.

“Being fully aware of the growing white nationalist wing of today’s Republican Party and folding to its pressure, Abbott’s decision to overturn the conviction of Daniel Perry is a clear signal that Black lives still do not matter in Texas. Furthermore, neither do the lives of any individuals who choose to stand up and fight for justice.

“It should infuriate every Texan who wholeheartedly believes in justice and freedom that we have in the Governor’s Mansion, a supposed “leader” who is afraid to stand for what is right and just for all his constituents. Rather than showing compassion for the Black community and working to find solutions that would benefit all Texans for generations to come, he twists our state’s legal system to avoid addressing anti-Black racism and holding far-right extremists accountable.

“The good news is no weapon formed against us will prosper. Our voices will not be silenced and our  movement will not relent. The millions of Black and Latino Texans who proudly reside in this state are certain to build the collective power required to create a future where ALL Texans can live free and thrive — regardless of our race, faith, gender, or background. THAT is the future BlackTOP is fighting for because we are stronger together!

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Garrett Foster as they continue to grieve and process the loss of their loved one, especially after this appalling act from our governor.”

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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.