TOP flexes solidarity this Indigenous People’s Day

Brianna Brown, Executive Director of Texas Organizing Project (TOP) in observance of Indigenous People’s Day this year:

“Today and everyday, Texas Organizing Project lifts up the humanity and celebrates the unshakeable resolve of our Indigenous communities, as they are irreplaceable to fully realizing the multiracial democracy our movement rooted in liberation aspires to build. 

“TOP’s solidarity with our Indigenous brothers and sisters is as steadfast as ever, especially at a time when the Trump administration is shamelessly proposing the slashing of tribal government budgets and opening protected ancestral lands to resource extraction.

“These are the destructive legacies of colonization and white supremacy once more rearing their ugly heads — legacies that we as Black and Latino organizers committed to racial and economic justice are all too familiar with. This is why it’s imperative we work alongside Indigenous communities to dismantle institutional racism, full stop.

“Through this, we are building power, transforming lives, and winning change. This is why we are stronger together.”

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TOP statement on the passing of former Texas State Representative Garnet Coleman of Houston

Brianna Brown, Executive Director of Texas Organizing Project (TOP), offered the following statement:

“Our hearts are heavy to hear of the passing of former State Representative Garnet Coleman. A steadfast public servant and supporter of our organization’s mission since its inception, TOP staff and members offer our sincerest condolences to his loved ones.

“Rep. Coleman was a fighter for all communities across Harris County — especially those historically marginalized — being a staunch defender of the rights of his constituents. 

“From affordable healthcare access, to public education, to community-driven urban redevelopment, his command of the issues impacting everyday working Texans was undeniable, earning him a Community Champion Award from our organization in 2014.

“A vocal advocate for health reform particularly, his efforts were instrumental during the rollout of the Affordable Care Act in Texas, as he was a fierce backer of Medicaid expansion for our state.

“Rep. Coleman’s presence and strong leadership in Houston will be deeply missed.”

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TOP celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month

Andrea Osorio, TOP member in San Antonio, provided the following statement:

“Our state and nation would not be the same without Latinos. Our contributions to the United States – cultural, economic, political, and more – are vast and span centuries. We care about our families, our communities, and our collective future.

“While certain politicians try to divide us, pit us against other communities, and strip us of our rights, we Latinos continue to organize for a better tomorrow rooted in justice, humanity, and shared prosperity.

“Our voices will be heard and our movement will not be stopped.”

Julio McCall, TOP member in Houston, added:

“At TOP, we understand our fates as Latinos are linked with those of our Black brothers and sisters. As an Afro-Latino who has for years called this country home, I know this connection full well, as it is my lived experience.

“This is the power of solidarity and how vital it is to our shared strength, especially at a time when Latino, Afro-Latino, and Black communities are being targeted by government budget cuts and regressive policies that seek to diminish us.

“That’s why no matter what country we’re from, the color of our skin, or the language we speak, we always have been – and always will be – stronger together. And through working together and learning from one another, there is nothing out of our reach.”

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TOP commemorates the power of Texas workers this Labor Day

Christina Quintero, member of Texas Organizing Project (TOP) in Houston, shared the following statement:

“Today is a bold reminder that it’s our labor, the work of everyday people, that drives this state and nation forward in every way possible. 

“As workers, our collective power is invaluable, and no politician — from city hall to the White House — will ever strip us of the dignity that’s inherently ours.

“No matter your age, race, gender, where you’re from, or who you pray to, we as Texans know our worth, and we are worth so much more than what anti-worker elected leaders who are beholden to billionaires would have us believe.

“It’s these same billionaires who want us divided and distracted, because they recognize that when workers rise together and stand united, we can override their influence to win the future we want.”

Pearline Harper, TOP member in Dallas, added:

“This administration is a mess, and the cost of living is only increasing. From crippling our economy with tariffs, to decimating the federal workforce, Trump and MAGA officials are as anti-worker as ever.

“It’s up to us to continue to show up and send a message that there is power in numbers through collective action — including our votes. When we show unwavering solidarity, our political power is unstoppable.

“Organizing alongside allies, nothing will stop our push for the fair treatment all working people deserve.”

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TOP commemorates Pride Month 2026

Group honors the invaluable contributions of Black & Latino LGBTQIA+ trailblazers

The following statement is from Brianna Brown, Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Executive Director, recognizing Pride Month this year:

“As we start Pride Month, we remember its origin as an uprising against systemic police violence, and honor the invaluable role that LGBTQIA+ people of color have played — and will continue to play — in the fight for justice and the shaping of our collective liberation.

“There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives,” said renowned author Audre Lorde, highlighting how for Black and Latino Americans, the pursuit of LGBTQIA+ liberation intersects with the struggle for racial justice.

“Texas is the epicenter of attacks against our LGBTQIA+ communities because our state’s far-right officials – at the behest of Donald Trump – continue to stigmatize and spew lies about those who identify as LGBTQIA+. This targeting is especially felt by transgender Texans and their families, through the spread of hateful rhetoric and dehumanizing policies.

“Despite their vile efforts, Republicans will never defeat us or deter us from living the rich, fulfilling lives we all deserve to live. The vibrant spirit of our communities is dauntless and unstoppable.

“Each and every day, TOP is proud to reaffirm that LGBTQIA+ rights are human rights, and no amount of manufactured MAGA outrage and misinformation will ever change that.”

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TOP PAC endorses James Talarico for U.S. Senate

Grassroots powerhouse backs Talarico to defeat Trumpism and deliver for working-class Texans

TOP PAC has been organizing Black and Latino Texans for more than 15 years. We have built power in communities that the political establishment has long ignored, and we have changed what’s possible in this state. Today, we’re putting that power behind James Talarico for U.S. Senate.

Brianna Brown, Executive Director of the Texas Organizing Project, said:

“This endorsement is about more than a candidate. It’s about what kind of Texas we’re fighting to build. James Talarico gets that. He’s willing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us to stop Trump’s destructive agenda, lower costs for working families, and transform our state so every Texan has a real shot at a good life, no matter their age, race, gender, or nationality.

“Across the South, Republican-controlled states are passing laws designed to strip power from Black voters and communities of color. Jim and Jane Crow didn’t disappear. They got rebranded. And here in Texas, Ken Paxton has spent years perfecting that playbook. He is a white nationalist grifter and the living embodiment of corruption in Texas politics.

“Talarico is the fighter we need to go toe-to-toe with Paxton and MAGA. But this race isn’t just about stopping them. It’s about delivering real change for the millions of Texans drowning under the weight of gas prices, healthcare costs, groceries, housing, and childcare. Our politics are in service to our organizing. And with every door knock, we get closer to a Texas that belongs to all of us.

“Win, lose, or draw, with every action, we are closer to self-determining our future.”

Christina Quintero, TOP leader from Houston, added:

“The record-breaking primary turnout we saw in Texas this March didn’t come out of thin air. It’s the result of years of relentless get-out-the-vote work, election cycle after election cycle, building the kind of progressive political infrastructure that doesn’t vanish when the cameras go away. Just look at the 1.5 million Texas voters our BlackTOP electoral programs have engaged with between 2022 and 2024.

“We’ve brought hundreds of thousands of Black and Latino Texans into this movement. We’ve helped elect people-powered leaders who have passed policies that actually improve lives. And now we’re going all in to send Paxton packing. He has attacked our communities, restricted our freedoms, and undermined our democracy long enough. This midterm, we’re leaving everything on the field.”

James Talarico, State Representative and U.S. Senate candidate, said:

“I am honored to earn this endorsement, and I want to be direct: I do not win this race without working-class Black and Latino Texans. Full stop. They have the most to lose if we fail, and the most to gain if we win. TOP has spent over 15 years building the kind of deep, trusting relationships with those communities that no campaign can manufacture in a few months. That infrastructure is irreplaceable.

“Winning Texas means meeting people where they are. In their neighborhoods, at their doors, in their language. TOP does that work better than anyone in this state. I am committed to earning the trust of every community TOP organizes with, and I will spend every day between now and November proving that this campaign is fighting for a Texas for all.”

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TOP: Supreme Court Guts Voting Rights Act, Greenlights Attacks on Black & Latino Voting Power

6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais weakens Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act & clears a path for Texas to draw Black and Latino voters out of political power

Statement from Brianna Brown, Executive Director of the Texas Organizing Project: “Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a green light for Texas politicians to draw Black and Latino voters out of power. Let’s be clear about what this is: a deliberate effort to silence the fastest-growing communities in this state before we can fully exercise the political power we’ve built. By gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the Court has stripped away the most important legal tool Black and Latino Texans had to fight back against racially discriminatory maps.

“This ruling is a gift to Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, who have spent more than a decade defending racially discriminatory maps, fighting federal oversight of voting rights, and using every lever of state power to weaken the political voice of Black and Latino Texans. With Section 2 gutted, they will move quickly — and aggressively — to entrench minority rule in a state where the majority of voters are people of color.

“For years, Texas lawmakers have manipulated district lines to silence Black and Latino voters, even as these communities drive nearly all of our state’s population growth. Now the Supreme Court has told them they can keep doing it with even fewer consequences.

“This is what the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act looks like. When the highest court in the country refuses to stop racial discrimination that’s staring it in the face, it’s telling Black and Latino Texans that their voices and their votes don’t matter. TOP rejects that premise, full stop. And we’re not backing down. 

“TOP will continue organizing in every corner of this state — block by block, door by door — because no court ruling can erase the power of communities fighting for a Texas that works for all of us, regardless of age, race, faith, gender, or income.”

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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, visitorganizetexas.org.

TOP PAC endorses Jasmine Crockett for U.S. Senate

Brianna Brown, Executive Director of Texas Organizing Project (TOP), made the following statement on TOP PAC’s endorsement of Jasmine Crockett:

“Jasmine Crockett is meeting this political moment with the urgency, intentionality, and solidarity Texans need right now in the U.S. Senate to effectively counter Trump’s destructive MAGA agenda.

“Through her work in Congress and in the community, Jasmine has proven she’s a listener and leader with the skillset needed to not only resist this corrupt regime, but chart a bold new political future for our state, a Texas centered in values where every person can grow and prosper – no matter their age, race, gender, faith, or background.

“The Congresswoman understands fully how higher costs are hurting Texans, how our healthcare system under Trump is failing families, and how we must defend immigrant communities from vicious attacks by our own government – attacks being cheered on by right-wing politicians like John Cornyn and Ken Paxton.

“TOP PAC proudly endorsed Jasmine Crockett’s candidacy for Texas House in 2020, helping deliver her victory through voter outreach, and we proudly endorse her for the U.S. Senate today, because all Texans stand to benefit from her strong, fearless advocating for every person who calls our state home.”

Jasmine Crockett, Congresswoman and candidate for U.S. Senate, added:

“I’ve been a member of the Texas Organizing Project and have been in the streets and trenches alongside this organization. I know that winning elections happens through organizing and people power. TOP is made up of everyday working people in Texas who want a better and safer life. I have worked alongside them at both the state and federal levels and look forward to continuing this partnership in the U.S. Senate to deliver meaningful legislation for economic opportunities, healthcare, criminal justice, housing, and immigrant rights.”

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TOP PAC endorses Gina Hinojosa for Texas Governor

Brianna Brown, Executive Director of Texas Organizing Project (TOP), shared the following statement on TOP PAC’s endorsement of Gina Hinojosa:

“A lifelong advocate for working-class communities, Gina Hinojosa is ready to serve everyday Texans and turn the page on Greg Abbott’s failed reign as governor.

“For more than a decade, Abbott has proven himself to be little more than a MAGA puppet, catering his policies to appease the far-right, instead of to help Texas working families.

“Meanwhile, Gina Hinojosa has shown she has the forward-thinking, inclusive vision our state needs at this time to move past Abbott and his “culture war” nonsense, so we can tackle real, critical issues impacting Texans.

“We’re excited to support Gina’s campaign built on challenging the status quo to lift up everyday Texans, and to win the transformative policy changes our families deserve.”

Christina Quintero, Harris County member of Texas Organizing Project, added:

“Since the start of his governorship, Greg Abbott has focused far more on elevating his own political profile than attending to the needs and protecting the rights of working Texans.

“Our state is in need of a major course correction. Having Gina Hinojosa in the Governor’s Mansion gets us closer to a Texas where every person can live with the dignity they deserve.

“All who call our state home – regardless of age, race, gender, faith, or background – will benefit from her leadership.”

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Texas Organizing Project honors Hispanic Heritage Month

The following statement is from Christina Quintero, Texas Organizing Project (TOP) board member from Houston, as the organization celebrates the start of Hispanic Heritage Month:

“Latinos are deeply woven into the cultural fabric of our state and nation, overcoming societal barriers to move our communities forward each and every day.

“As we recognize Hispanic Heritage Month, Texas Organizing Project honors the courageous contributions of Latinos – including our Afro-Latino and Indigenous brothers and sisters – who have poured their heart and soul into our movement’s pursuit of justice and freedom for all.”

Mary Guzman, TOP Education Fund board member from Dallas, added:

“At TOP, we know Latino liberation is intrinsically linked to Black liberation. We believe it’s our moral obligation to acknowledge, challenge, and correct anti-Blackness and colorism embedded in our institutions – an ugly byproduct of colonialism – that for too long has collectively held us back. Our solidarity is powerful. We are stronger together.

“That’s why we celebrate Latinidad through our steadfast commitment to racial and economic justice, organizing to improve the lives of working people – regardless of age, race, faith, or spoken language – so we can rise to create a brighter Texas built on dignity and respect for every person.”

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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.