Brown will start this position January 2026, marking a renewed commitment to uniting Black and Latino Texans in the fight for democracy and shared power
Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Board of Directors announced today that Brianna Brown has been named the organization’s next and sole Executive Director, effective January 2026. Since 2020, Brown and Michelle Tremillo, one of TOP’s Co-Founders, have been Co-Executive directors, together leading the largest community-based organization in Texas.
“As Co-Presidents of TOP, we are thrilled to name Brianna Brown as the next sole Executive Director of this organization we love,” said Dr. Doshie Piper and Maria Victoria de la Cruz. “Brianna brings deep strategy, clarity of purpose, and unshakable commitment to our members. She has long been one of the boldest architects of TOP’s evolution — and her vision for uniting Black and Latino communities in a shared fight for justice is exactly what this moment demands. This is how we win the Texas of our dreams – a Texas For All, where every person can live their best life, regardless of where they call home or what language they speak.”
“I’m deeply excited about what’s possible for our organization in this next chapter with Brianna as Executive Director. She has vision and an undeniable drive to positively change the landscape of our state and communities” added Debra Walker, Board President of Texas Organizing Project Education Fund (TOPEF). “I see an organization that continues to grow its power — not just through policy wins, but through the everyday transformation of people stepping into leadership and fostering a vibrant community of leaders who can drive meaningful change. It fills me with joy to see new leaders of all ages and backgrounds rise up from our base to organize with love, urgency, and bold vision.”
Brown, a fourth-generation Texan raising two fifth-generation daughters, joined TOP in 2013 as a healthcare organizer. Since then, she has helped shape every major chapter of the organization’s growth — leading local campaigns, launching TOP’s communications and narrative strategy, co-founding the landmark BlackTOP program, and steering internal transformations to root the organization in pro-Black values. She became Deputy Director, then Co-Executive Director in 2020.
“Brianna is the right leader for this next chapter,” said Michelle Tremillo. “She’s a seasoned strategist and a movement builder, but more importantly, she is deeply grounded in the belief that Black and Latino communities deserve to lead. Her work has always centered on shared power. I’m so excited to see her lead TOP into its future.”
In 2023, Brown led more than 80 staff and members on a pilgrimage to Montgomery and Selma — a powerful turning point in shaping TOP’s Stronger Together initiative and deepening its internal commitment to pro-Black organizing. That same year, BlackTOP — the largest-ever investment in Black voters in Texas — reached over 1.4 million Texans through a strategic blend of door-knocking, digital outreach, and voter education. These programs connected voters across county lines and generations in pursuit of a shared, inclusive democracy.
“I’ve never known myself outside of a Black political identity,” Brown said. “I’ve been organizing since I was a teenager, and the truth is — I’m about the work. TOP is about building real political homes for our communities, where our values, our power, and our voices lead. I’m honored to step into this role, and I’m ready to lead with clarity, care, and a vision for a Texas where all of us — Black and Latino, across class, ZIP Code, and immigration status — thrive together.”
Leaders Praise Brown’s Vision and Track Record:
“Brianna builds power from the ground up. Not for one election cycle, but for the long haul. She’s a movement strategist who listens deeply and leans into the communities she organizes with, making sure their voices shape the vision and the victories.” — DaMareo Cooper & Analilia Mejia, Co-Executive Directors, Popular Democracy
“Some people talk about change. Brianna builds it — block by block, policy by policy, election by election. She understands that local organizing isn’t the end goal — it’s the engine that moves entire systems. Texas is different because of her, and the ripple effects are just beginning.” — Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Harris County Commissioners Court, Pct. 1
“Brianna leads with vision, strategy, and a deep-rooted commitment to our people. She has an unwavering belief in the power of Black and Latino Texans to shape a new future. Naming her sole Executive Director is a declaration that TOP is ready to go deeper, bolder, and be even more rooted in building a Texas rewritten by its true majority.” — Tarsha Jackson, Houston City Council Member, Dist. B
“Brianna is a bold and compassionate leader who understands that organizing is sacred work. She brings heart, vision, and a deep commitment to justice that will continue to shape Texas. I’m proud to stand with her as she leads TOP into its next chapter.” — Pastor Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III, Friendship West Baptist Church
“Brianna is one of the most visionary movement leaders in the country. She turns values into strategy and strategy into power — exactly what this moment demands.” — Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party
“Brianna Brown is the kind of leader who understands that lasting change starts with the people most impacted — and she never loses sight of that. Whether she’s mobilizing voters, sharpening strategy, or calling out injustice, Brianna brings vision and grit rooted in community. Texas — and the country— is stronger because of her leadership.” — Andrea Mercado, President & CEO, The Climate & Clean Energy Equity Fund
Brown serves as Vice Chair of Popular Democracy’s board and she also sits on the board of its advocacy arm, Popular Democracy Action. Additionally, Brown is board chair of the Texas For All political table, a coalition that is building progressive infrastructure across the state. During the 2022 election cycle, Brown’s leadership was featured in the documentary TEXAS, USA. Her story — like TOP’s — is a testament to the grit, imagination, and collective action required to preserve and expand democracy.
“Texas isn’t an unengaged state — it’s a place full of untapped power. And we’re building the infrastructure to unleash it,” Brown said. “And that’s what we’re changing. We’re turning Texas Teal. We’re proving that progressive power is possible when we organize year-round, invest in our people, and stay rooted in joy, strategy, and solidarity.”
TOP will continue its year-round campaigns in criminal justice, housing, healthcare, and voting rights while deepening its organizing presence in Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Tarrant, and Fort Bend counties.
“The stakes are too high to go it alone,” Brown added. “We are stronger together — and this next chapter for TOP is about bringing even more of our people into the fight for a future where we all belong.”
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About Texas Organizing Project (TOP):
The 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. Learn more at organizetexas.org.
