Veteran operatives Aisha J. McClendon, Delilah Agho-Otoghile, and Cliff Walker to serve as Senior Advisors
Rebecca Pearcey and Bill Burton at Bryson Gillette, Judy Foston Stanford at Foston International Communications, Inc. and Linda K. Brown at Advantage Communications Media Group to lead paid media
AUSTIN, TX — Today, Talarico for Texas announced new additions to their Black engagement team — and in the coming weeks, the campaign will announce expanded faith outreach, youth engagement, and organizing efforts targeting Black voters in partnership with the Texas Together Coordinated Campaign.
Three veteran Black political operatives are joining the campaign as senior advisors to lead these efforts: Aisha J. McClendon, Delilah Agho-Otoghile, and Cliff Walker.
Three Black-owned firms will lead the paid communications program — Bryson Gillette, one of the country’s leading strategic communications firms, will lead on TV and digital; Foston International Communications of Richmond, TX will lead on radio; and Advantage Communications Group of Houston, TX will lead on print.
Talarico’s Black voter outreach plan is the largest of its kind in modern Texas history. The investment includes our team of experienced Black staff members from every corner of Texas; door-knocking, relational organizing efforts, and in-person community events in Black neighborhoods across the state to reach voters where they are; paid advertisements produced by Black-owned media firms to reach Black Texans on their TVs, phones, radios, newspapers, and in their mailboxes; partnerships with Black media; and robust engagement with Black churches, local community organizations, and HBCUs.
“For too long, the Democratic Party has taken Black voters for granted — these investments show we’re not going to make that same mistake,” said James Talarico. “We’ve brought on some of the most-decorated operatives in Texas politics to lead this voter outreach effort because there is no way to win Texas without listening to, investing in, and showing up for Black Texans.”
“Our investment in Black voters will be built by Black professionals who know Black communities best,” said Talarico for Texas Political and Coalitions Director Miriam Laeky. “Texas has the highest population of Black folks in the country, and we will continue to put in the work to bring them to the polls.”
“I’ve spent my career working to energize Black voters across the country, and I know this team has what it takes to get the job done,” said former DNC Chair Donna Brazile. “James Talarico understands that winning in Texas requires major investment in Black engagement statewide. That’s why he’s built a team capable of driving massive Black turnout and the coalition needed to take back Texas.”
Latest Additions to Talarico for Texas Black Engagement Team:
Aisha J. McClendon is a Dallas native and third-generation HBCU alumna with more than two decades in Democratic politics. She worked in the Clinton White House, directed national African American outreach for Beto O’Rourke’s presidential campaign, served as Regional Constituency Director for Mike Bloomberg’s campaign, and led church and HBCU partnerships as National Constituencies Director at VoteAmerica.
Delilah Agho-Otoghile is a Houston native, organizer, and political strategist. Just this year, she led the teams that secured primary wins for newly-elected Congressman Christian Menefee and Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy’s campaign for County Judge. She formerly served as Executive Director of the Texas Future Project, Texas State Director for Beto for America, Field Director for Stacey Abrams’ 2018 campaign, and National Field Director for Win Justice in 2020.
Cliff Walker is founder of Seeker Strategies, a Black- and Brown-owned communications and advocacy firm in Austin. A San Antonio native, he served as Deputy Executive Director of the Texas Democratic Party, where he created Project LIFT to support Democrats running for local office, Political Director of Battleground Texas, and Executive Director of the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee.
Bryson Gillette, founded by Bill Burton — national press secretary for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and deputy press secretary in the Obama White House — is one of the country’s leading Black-owned strategic communications firms. Its work spans presidential and Senate campaigns and it was named PRovoke Media’s Best New Agency of the Year in 2022.
Foston International Communications has served Texas clients for more than 40 years, based in Fort Bend County. Founded in 1984 by President Judy Foston Stanford, the firm’s work spans Coca-Cola USA, the Communications Workers of America, Houston Community College, U. S. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, and print and radio programs for Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 U.S. Senate campaign and later provided radio advertising services for O’Rourke’s campaign for Governor of Texas.
Advantage Communications Group, founded by CEO Linda K. Brown, is a Houston-based campaign consulting firm with more than 30 years of experience reaching voters. Brown formerly served as Community Relations Director for KTRK-TV ABC-13, Executive Vice President & General Manager of B.E.T., National Press Secretary for Rev. Jesse Jackson and as a senior advisor to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressman Sylvester Turner, and Congressman Christian Menefee.
The campaign is leaving no stone unturned to ensure Black voters are ready and able to vote on November 3rd and defeat this broken, corrupt political system.
About James Talarico:
James Talarico is an eighth-generation Texan, former middle school teacher, and Presbyterian seminarian.
Born to a single mom in Round Rock, James earned degrees from The University of Texas at Austin, Harvard University, and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Before serving in the Legislature, he taught English on the westside of San Antonio — one of Texas’ poorest zip codes.
