Best Active Activist
Debbie Russell
What can we say? If this woman had as many heads as she wears hats, she'd be one scary looking mama. But she doesn't have a gazillion heads. Just one, that's the miracle. Yet she's a board member of the ACLU and is active in a myriad of community groups, including the Austin Spokescouncil, the antiwar group CodePink, and Barton Spring's David to AMD's Goliath, Save Our Springs Alliance. She's been at the forefront of holding APD's feet to the accountability fire, most notably on their use of Tasers. She was an ever-present presence at Camp Casey, though she spent much of her time dashing back and forth from Austin to Crawford in her "Demo"car"cy art car. Plus, she was campaign manager for Libertarian hopeful Wes Benedict. And that's not the end of it, to be sure: As anyone who has spent a modicum of time with her can attest, her ever-present cell phone is constantly ringing with folks eager for so-and-so's number or reporters needing the lefty inside scoop. So, hat's off to Debbie! Unfortunately, we've only got one.