Since May, 2023, the Houston Democracy Project has helped lead the conversation and brought results, in the fight in Houston and Harris County against the anti-democratic political right. I’m writing because the work requires resources and merits support. I’m asking you for that support.   

Via the Project, I’ve acted effectively within traditional politics, bridged the gap between traditional politics and protest, and made clear the relevance of protest and being on the streets. 

I’ve been featured speaker at four Democratic Club monthly meetings, was ahead of the curve in recognizing the importance of this year’s Harris County Appraisal District elections, and was active in the HCAD race won by the Democrat who escaped a runoff by just 241 votes. I‘ve been involved with the Clubs In Action organization of neighborhood Democratic club presidents and leaders since its creation in 2022. In the 2023 Houston City Council elections, I convinced four Council candidates to add protection of democracy to their campaign websites, and I’ve continued to speak directly to Councilmembers about the importance of protecting democracy in Houston           

In spaces between conventional and non-conventional politics, I’ve expanded where Houstonians can be heard and have impact. The Project has an hour-long segment each Thursday at 6 AM on Politics Done Right on KPFT. I discuss local politics and take calls with host Egberto Willies.  

I took a lead role in opposing Mayor John Whitmire’s proposed ordinance to ban protest outside  the homes of politicians. How can we give up our rights with democracy under attack? I introduced the motion approved by the membership of the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus to oppose the ordinance, wrote a letter to each member of Council and spoke before Council in public session. Against expectations, the motion was sent to committee rather than approved. It has not returned to Council as of this writing.  There is no doubt citizen activism played a big role in that outcome.             

And as we face an authoritarian threat and the clear prospect of mass migrant roundups on Houston streets, the Project has consistently made the point that voting may not be enough. I’m a co-organizer of the weekly John Cornyn Houston Office Protest, which is approaching its 8th year on Houston streets and has an extensive local following. It’s important people see others like themselves willing to stand openly and confidently for democracy. 

I post often on the Project’s website blog. The blog and my social media presence allow me to press elected Democrats to be an active in 2024 Campaign even if in safe  districts. I’m working with a colleague in Fort Worth to help create independent and pro-democracy media not at the mercy of the algorithms and biases of big social media platforms. 

I was recently named Volunteer of the Year by the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus. I’m proud to have won the award and I’ll continue my volunteer work for the Caucus.  

At the same time, volunteerism has its limits. Ken Paxton’s violent raids on rank & file Democratic activists make clear the right will do anything to hold power. I’ve shown through my work with the Houston Democracy Project that I act effectively and creatively. I’ve proven I’ll show up for everybody's freedom across our great diverse city and county. Please contribute so I can continue the work.          

​Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​
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I attended the monthly Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus meeting this evening. At the beginning of the meeting, candidates and folks with a political point to make can address the attendees for 60 seconds. I want to share this because it's important we realize that we can make a difference & we cannot rely on elected officials to speak up for our rights even at this perilous moment.    

Here's what I said--

"I’m Neil Aquino-A Caucus member and founder of the Houston Democracy Project. I’m here to report on the effectiveness of Caucus and rank and file citizen advocacy. Last month Caucus membership voted near unanimously to oppose Mayor Whitmire’s anti-First Amendment ordinance prohibiting protest politician’s homes. I introduced motion to oppose. We can’t lose our rights as we face an authoritarian threat. I thought the ordinance would pass & a Councilmember told me it would. But it did not. Whitmire didn’t have the votes. Our advocacy mattered. The opposition of the Caucus was mentioned in Council debate. The ordinance was sent to Council’s law committee for next Tuesday at 10 AM. Keep up the opposition. No elected official, to my knowledge, outside council spoke up against this attack on our rights. This even as our conventional political systems take us to the brink of authoritarianism and mass migrant round ups. Don’t forget your power as a citizen and our power together. Hold electeds accountable and be ready for the fights ahead at the ballot box, and anywhere else we need to be. Thank you. Houstondemocracyproject.com" 

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​

 

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Each Saturday I stand with microbiology professor Steve Norris at Hermann Park from noon to one. We are just off the big roundabout that has the statue of Sam Houston not far from the natural history museum. Steve started this action this past February and will be at the park each Saturday until the election.  

That's me on the left and Steve on the right this past Saturday. Steve made those signs on his own dime and has extras he offers to people who inquire.

In the center is a man from Brazil. He thanked us for being there and told about Brazil's struggles with anti-democratic former President Jair Bolsonaro. Us being there made a difference for this man. It helped the three of us talking to each other to see the global connections of these fights.     

It's important people see others like themselves showing up openly and confidently for democracy. We can't  forced out of public space by the aggression of the right. Almost every week Steve and I are asked if we are nervous to be there. (We are not.) It's not right that just standing in a park with a sign for an hour, should make people anxious for us.     
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Showing up requires brains. You need to know the value of showing up consistently, when to show up as a leader or in support and when to show up with something to say or just to listen to what others are saying.
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Please join Steve and myself at Hermann Park. It makes a difference. Voting alone is not going to get us out the challenges we are facing. We are going to need to show up when, where and how needed. We are going to need the connections established when we show up together.     

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​    

Labor Day would be an excellent day for local organized labor to start holding Houston Mayor John Whitmire accountable.  Labor has been a strong supporter of Mayor Whitmire. It would be better for the public and for labor if labor would hold Whitmire accountable instead.  

Here are some reasons why--

1. Mayor Whitmire makes it clear he does not want to work closely or effectively with County Judge Lina Hidalgo. This view, that Mayor Whitmire shares with Harris County Republicans, will make it more difficult for labor when Judge Hidalgo runs for re-election in 2026. The Texas Gulf Coast AFL-CIO Labor Federation has aggressively backed Judge Hidalgo. Mayor Whitmire's disdain for Judge Hidalgo will cause labor to expend more resources to defend her in a primary and in the 2026 General Election.   

2. Mayor Whitmire has almost $10 million in campaign funds in the bank.  Given that democracy is on the line in 2024, Mayor Whitmire could be spending that money to help elect Democrats. Not only is democracy  at stake, Republican victories in 2024 would enable the implementation of Project 2025. Project 2025 would be a nightmare for unions and working Americans. Mayor Whitmire's sitting on the sidelines in this important election year is causing labor to expend more resources to support endorsed candidates & is putting the future of organized labor at risk.           

3. Mayor Whitmire has proposed an ordinance that would restrict the rights of Houstonians to protest at the homes of politicians. (Lacking votes for passage, it has been referred to committee.) The First Amendment implications of this matter for everyone. An inhibited right to protest could easily impact a picket line or impede the ability of workers to hold a boss or an employer to account.           

​4. Mayor Whitmire's proposed anti-First Amendment ordinance was provoked by Pro-Palestinian protesters at his home. The Texas AFL-CIO was early in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. How about some solidarity?Many local civil rights and progressive groups spoke up against the ordinance. Labor was silent.      
                     
5. Mayor Whitmire's relentless attacks on public transit and road safety fall hardest on working people and the most disadvantaged Houstonians. A loyal partner in the Mayor's vendetta against public transit is newly-appointed Metro Board member Alexandra Mealer. Labor should speak up against the capture of Metro by regressive elements and this Mealer/Whitmire partnership.   
   
Labor and Houston can do much better than John Whitmire.  

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​

The Texas Senate Democratic Caucus wrote a letter to the U.S. Justice Department about the violent and anti-democratic actions of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. It does a good job detailing Paxton's wrong conduct. Here is the letter. 

Here is a Texas Tribune article on the letter.

From the article-

"A group of Democratic state lawmakers on Friday asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate potential violations of federal law and civil and voting rights related to Texas state leaders’ recent voter roll purge, raids of Latinos’ homes in connection to alleged election fraud, probing of voter registration organizations and ongoing scrutiny of groups that work with migrants....“Collectively, these actions have a disproportionate impact on Latinos and other communities of color, which is sowing fear and will suppress voting,” twelve Texas senators wrote in the letter. “We urge the DOJ to investigate Texas … and to take all necessary action to protect the fundamental rights of all Texans and ensure all citizens’ freedom to vote is unencumbered.”

It is fine the letter was sent. They've got to do something. But it's also so that many of these Senators have been in public office for many years & have won office in a succession of low-turnout elections. How can more of the same produce different results?       

Last year Democratic State Rep. John Bryant of Dallas talked about the need for a more aggressive approach by Democrats in the Texas Legislature.  It would be great to see Democrats in the Texas House and Senate actively campaigning against Republicans, working to increase turnout even if not in a difficult race themselves and in general acting with urgency as we face an authoritarian threat in Texas and the nation.

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​​

I've relaunched the Houston Democracy Project petition on Change.org calling on people to show up for democracy in 2024 as circumstances require in Houston and Harris County. I've updated the petition to reflect where we are at the moment. 

It's important that we are ready for the prospect of voting not being enough. Republicans do not intend to accept election results they don't like and corrupt officials like Ken Paxton are using violent police raids to hold power.            

Here is the link to sign on Change.org. Please sign and also share with others. We have to be prepared to show up and not rely on someone else to advocate for our freedom.    

Here is the text of the petition:   

Will you commit to showing up or being present protect democracy in Houston and Harris County in 2024 and 2025?

Trump is again the Republican nominee. He has not committed to accept election results and has said he'll use the Insurrection Act to suspend civil liberties and send the National Guard into cities. 

Trump has pledged mass round ups of migrants. Imagine the impact of such round ups on the streets of Houston and Harris County. 

In Texas, Republicans have passed legislation allowing them to meddle in or even overturn Harris County election results.  Attorney General Ken Paxton undermines faith in our elections with false claims, frivolous lawsuits and even violent police raids on Latino Democratic Party activists.    

At the end of the line is a rogue U.S. Supreme Court that cannot be relied upon to uphold either election results or the rule of law.        

In these conditions, we must be prepared to advocate for ourselves both before and after Election Day.

What does it mean to commit to showing up as needed?   

*A willingness to take part in politics beyond the essential act of voting.

*Being ready to be present when and where needed if Republicans undermine Harris County/Texas results in 2024 as the votes are counted. 

*Knowing that we may need to engage in protest if Republicans seek to overturn elections or refuse to accept election results. 

*Calling the Harris County Democratic Party at 713-802-0085 and asking how to volunteer as a poll-watcher in 2024. 

Showing up matters. Knowing when to show up and for what purpose is essential.     

Consider your role. There is no doubt of the threat. Make the pledge now for yourself, for the people in your life and to the values that guide you. We must show up and be present no matter where our politics take us in 2024 and 2025.

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​​ ​​

Every journalist covering local politics has the opportunity each day to ask every elected Republican in Houston and Harris County the following questions:

1. Are you voting for Donald Trump? 
2. Do you agree with Trump's calls for violence if he loses and dictatorship if he wins?
3. Will you accept the results if Donald Trump loses?
4. Will you accept the results if Ted Cruz loses?
5. Do you support mass round up of migrants as Donald Trump is saying he will conduct?
6. Do you support Project 2025?
7. Do you agree with JD Vance that people without children should have fewer rights than people with children?   

There are plenty more questions that could be asked. The upshot is that there is no doubt the Republican Party is an extremist & anti-democratic outfit. Shouldn't Republican elected officials be held accountable?

Maybe reporters would lose access to political figures if they asked these questions. Isn't it worth the risk? Is it really so important to have access to authoritarians and bigots? Aren't journalists supposed to be going after the big story?

I'd say one of our two major political parties refusing to accept election results and embracing authoritarianism is the biggest story in town.                        

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​​ ​

Attorney General Ken Paxton has conducted violent raids against a Democratic nominee in a hotly contested Texas State Rep, race, a well-known Democratic operative and an 87 year old rank and file Democrat.

​From the Texas Tribune:

The League of United Latin American Citizens plans to request a federal investigation into raids Attorney General Ken Paxton conducted this week as part of what he called an “ongoing election integrity investigation.”....Gabriel Rosales, Texas LULAC’s state director, said in a statement that Paxton carried out the raids 11 weeks before the 2024 elections “to suppress the Latino vote through intimidation and any means necessary to tilt the electoral process in favor of his political allies.”...Agents raided the home of Cecilia Castellano — the Democrat running to succeed state Rep. Tracy King, D-Uvalde — and confiscated her phone as part of the search, according to Rosales. Republicans see that seat, which Gov. Greg Abbott carried by nearly 6 percentage points, as their best potential state House flip in November....Law enforcement also searched the homes of at least five other Latino individuals, all of whom were working on Castellano’s campaign and three of whom are members of Texas LULAC, Rosales added. LULAC is a non-partisan, volunteer-based Hispanic civil rights organization headquartered in Washington. 

Here are some observations about the raids:

1. That one of the subjects raided is the Democratic-nominee for Texas State House in a strongly contested seat, should make it clear to Democratic elected officials that they are not immune from Republican violence.

2. The homes of rank & file Democrats taking part in voter registration efforts were raided.  We're at a place where normal volunteer efforts can be criminalized.

3. The use of DPS troops to conduct these raids should remind people that every additional police officer in Texas is another potential participant in Republican attacks on democracy, and also the mass round ups of migrants openly planned by the right.   

4. Republicans are afraid of Democratic gains at the ballot box. Two recent polls have Colin Allred within two percentage points of Ted Cruz in the Texas U.S. Senator race.

5. Republicans in Texas will not accept statewide defeats and other defeats as well, without resorting to every tactic possible to stop and overturn those defeats. Violence from the political right is very much on the table. 

6. With violent raids taking place and Democratic victories increasingly possible across Texas, what excuse do elected Harris County Democrats have to not be involved in every way possible in the 2024 campaign? 

7. Democrats are running to win elections. Republicans are looking to take and hold power.  

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​​                

I signed up for the Zoom call you see described below---

"Are you interested in becoming a Voter Protection Hotline Volunteer or a Poll Watcher? Join the Harris County Democratic Party Voter Protection Director Nicole Pedersen for a Zoom call on Wednesday, August 28th, at 6 pm to learn more about the Voter Protection Program and describe our volunteer opportunities."

The call is being conducted by the Harris County Democratic Party. It is Wednesday, 8/28, from 6 PM-7PM.     

Here is the Facebook link to sign up.   

​You can also call the HCDP at 713-802-0085 to sign up. 
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I'm going to be pushing this effort here on the Houston Democracy Project in the weeks ahead.  

Republicans don't intend to accept election results they don't like. We must be ready to meet that challenge every way possible both for Election Day and after.

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​

Three observations/thoughts today: 

1. A goal of the Houston Democracy Project is to act effectively within traditional politics, help bridge the gap or make use of the spaces between traditional politics and protest, and make clear the relevance of protest and the street. We need every tool we have for the challenges ahead. 

2. I watched a lecture on C-SPAN by Professor Jasmin Howard of North Carolina Central University about civil rights-era activism from Historically Black Colleges in North Carolina. It is well worth watching.  

Near the end of the lecture Professor Howard said "Activism is choices made by ordinary people." I really like that. We all can make the choice to do what we can do.

3. Democrats and people who want to live in a free society are trying to win an election. The political right is trying to take power anyway they can. There is a big difference. We have to be ready for whatever is on the way    

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​