Talarico for Texas has announced additions to its Black engagement team as the campaign expands its efforts to reach Black voters across the state ahead of the November 3 election.

The campaign announced that veteran political operatives Aisha J. McClendon, Delilah Agho-Otoghile and Cliff Walker will serve as senior advisors leading Black voter engagement efforts. In the coming weeks, the campaign said it will announce additional faith outreach, youth engagement and organizing efforts targeting Black voters in partnership with the Texas Together Coordinated Campaign.

The campaign is also turning to three Black-owned communications firms to lead its paid media program. Bryson Gillette will oversee television and digital advertising, Foston International Communications Inc. of Richmond will lead radio, and Advantage Communications Group of Houston will handle print advertising.

The campaign described its Black voter outreach plan as the largest of its kind in modern Texas history. The effort includes Black staff members from across Texas, door-knocking and relational organizing, community events in Black neighborhoods, paid advertising through Black-owned media firms, partnerships with Black media, and outreach through Black churches, community organizations and historically Black colleges and universities.

Two Key Houstonians Take Prominent Roles

Two Texas communications veterans with deep ties to the Houston area will play key roles in the campaign's paid media strategy: Judy Foston Stanford and Linda K. Brown.

Foston Stanford, president of Foston International Communications, will lead the campaign's radio advertising program. Her Richmond-based firm has served Texas clients for more than 40 years.

Founded in 1984, Foston International Communications' work has included Coca-Cola USA, the Communications Workers of America, Houston Community College and U.S. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.

The firm also has experience working on political campaigns. Foston International Communications handled 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.

For the Talarico campaign, Foston International Communications will focus on radio as part of the broader effort to reach Black Texans through Black-owned media.

Brown, founder and CEO of Advantage Communications Group, will lead the campaign's print advertising efforts. The Houston-based campaign consulting firm has more than 30 years of experience reaching voters.

Brown's career includes serving as Community Relations Director for KTRK-TV ABC-13, Executive Vice President and General Manager of B.E.T., and National Press Secretary for Rev. Jesse Jackson.

She has also served as a senior advisor to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressman Sylvester Turner and Congressman Christian Menefee.

Under the Talarico campaign's plan, Advantage Communications Group will oversee print advertising designed to reach Black Texans through newspapers and their mailboxes.

The campaign's selection of Foston International Communications and Advantage Communications Group gives two Houston-area communications firms prominent roles in a statewide effort that also includes television, digital and radio advertising.

Veteran Political Operatives Join Campaign

Aisha J. McClendon, a Dallas native and third-generation HBCU alumna, has more than two decades of experience in Democratic politics. Her previous work includes the Clinton White House, national African American outreach for Beto O'Rourke's presidential campaign, a regional constituency director role for Mike Bloomberg's campaign, and church and HBCU partnerships as National Constituencies Director at VoteAmerica.

Delilah Agho-Otoghile, a Houston native, organizer and political strategist, led teams that secured primary wins for newly elected Congressman Christian Menefee and Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy's campaign for County Judge. She previously 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, founder of Seeker Strategies, a Black- and Brown-owned communications and advocacy firm in Austin, previously served as Deputy Executive Director of the Texas Democratic Party. He also created Project LIFT to support Democrats running for local office and previously served as Political Director of Battleground Texas and Executive Director of the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee.

Bryson Gillette, founded by Bill Burton, will lead television and digital advertising. Burton previously served as national press secretary for Barack Obama's presidential campaign and deputy press secretary in the Obama White House. The firm has worked on presidential and Senate campaigns and was named PRovoke Media's Best New Agency of the Year in 2022.

Campaign Plans Broader Black Outreach

Talarico for Texas said the campaign's Black engagement strategy will include experienced Black staff members from across Texas, door-knocking, relational organizing and in-person community events in Black neighborhoods.

The campaign also plans paid advertisements through Black-owned media firms, partnerships with Black media, and engagement with Black churches, local community organizations and HBCUs.

Talarico said the campaign's investments are intended to address what he described as a history of Democrats taking Black voters for granted.

Political and Coalitions Director Miriam Laeky said the campaign's investment in Black voters will be built by Black professionals who know Black communities.

Former DNC Chair Donna Brazile also pointed to the importance of statewide Black voter engagement and said Talarico understands the need for significant investment in Black engagement.

The campaign said additional announcements involving faith outreach, youth engagement and organizing will be made in the coming weeks as it continues its efforts to reach Black voters ahead of the November 3 election.