#blm global network foundation

[greatrunner]

Amanda Seales conducted an interview with independent journalist David Heath (sp?) and Dr. Melina Abdullah, one of the co-founders of BLM Grassroots, about "What happened to BLM?". The user @isisnavenaa (TikTok) summarized it in two parts (Part 1, Part 2).

The Amanda Seales interviews can be listened to here and here.

In the interview, Dr. Abdullah alleges (because none of this has been proven in a court of law) that the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation was allegedly compromised by:

Shalomia Bowers - a consultant for BLM-GNF who had legal control over the foundation's money following Patrice Colors stepping down from the foundation. He's been accused of siphoning funds from BLM-GNF before. He' apparently vacations in IsNotReal and is a Zionist.

Cicely Gay - a "trusted board member" of Bowers, appointed after Dr. Malnina Abdullah (co-founder of BLM grassroots) asked to see the books for BLM-GNF to ascertain where the money went.

Dijonay Parker - a former student of Dr. Abdullah's.

BLM-GNF (allegedly) still has access to the $900 Million dollars amassed in 2020 and all funds since. BLM Grassroots has not seen a cent of that money.

Dr. Abdullah has filed a (another?) lawsuit against BLM-GNF, which I'm assuming is different than the one dismissed in 2023. BLM-GNF is being represented by Hilary Clinton's lawyer, and the apparent judge for the case is a Black Republican. Because of a "slap motion", he's apparently not hearing BLM Grassroot's case.

blklivesmatter's official Instagram has limited their comments, whether because of these videos or before, remains to be seen.

BLM Grassroots is currently raising funds for Black families impacted by the L.A. Fires. Their official website is here.

[erotetica]

Fuck Trump, here’s all the civil rights orgs I know:

(Most have education pages and/or socials to follow and boost if u can’t donate right now)

LGBTQ+

Trevor Project—queer crisis hotline/counseling (NOTE THAT THEY CALL POLICE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS)

List of Crisis Hotlines/etc compiled by Inclusive Therapists .com which DON’T CALL POLICE

Point of Pride—helps trans folks having trouble accessing gender affirming healthcare

Trans Lifeline—community support/resources/financial aid for trans folks

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

National Network of Abortion Funds—financial assistance/transport/childcare for people in ban states seeking abortions.

Brigid Alliance—same

Sister Song—reproductive justice for WOC

Indigenous Women Rising—helps Indigenous families access abortions/menstrual hygiene/midwifery/etc

Afiya Center—reproductive justice/HIV care for Black womxn in Texas

Abortion access orgs for Americans in the

Midwest

South

Appalachia (they also offer free emergency contraception/support services/etc)

RACIAL JUSTICE

NYU Law Center on Race Inequality—self-education resources on racism & antiblackness/how to contact elected officials/how to protest safely.

List of orgs protecting Black Americans, compiled by NYU (incl NAACP, Audre Lorde Project, BLM, Black Voters Matter, etc)

National Immigration Law Center—fighting for asylum seeking/DACA; helping immigrants access healthcare/worker’s rights/etc

American Civil Liberties Union—working on many intersectional initiatives

Southern Poverty Law Center—same

GLOBAL AID (While we Americans wait for shoes to start dropping, let’s not forget others in need, and that Trump’s atrocious foreign policies will affect everyone!)

World Central Kitchen—hunger relief

Action Against Hunger—same

War Child—supports and educates children in conflict zones, like Yemen and DRC

Medecins Sans Frontieres— medical aid

Islamic Relief USA—emergency aid

PALESTINIAN AID

Palestine Children’s Relief Fund— medical aid for kids

Anera— emergency relief & long-term development resources for Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan

United Nations Relief and Works Agency—aid for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon/Syria/West Bank/Gaza/Jordan

Palestine Red Crescent Society—medical aid

SUDANESE AID

List of humanitarian orgs working in Sudan, compiled by 500 Words Magazine

CONGOLESE AID

Panzi Foundation—supports assault survivors & their families

Eastern Congo Initiative—supports ands funds local/community-based Congolese efforts

Please reblog, & add any legitimate humanitarian organizations you know of! I love all of you!!

[beardedmrbean]

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is running out of cash and nearing its end "unless something changes dramatically," according to a new report. 

The Free Press, an independent news organization founded by former New York Times journalist Bari Weiss, on Tuesday published a scathing deep dive into the "scrappy start-up that struck gold in 2020" headlined "BLM Collected Over $90 Million in Donations. Where Did It Go?"

"Capitalizing on the lucrative opportunities afforded to them as high-profile progressives, the three celebrity founders moved on, leaving the operation to wither in the hands of deputies who, sadly, turned on each other. A remarkable spate of legal trouble, brushes with law enforcement, and tangles with the Internal Revenue Service have all but spelled the death of the enterprise that you probably know best as Black Lives Matter," Free Press reporter Sean Patrick Cooper wrote. 

"The spectacular rise and fall of BLM has surprisingly little in common with earlier civil rights campaigns, other than, perhaps, good intentions," he continued. "How BLM’s leaders exploited George Floyd’s murder to raise millions that they then put into their own pockets more closely resembles the stories of famous grifters like Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos or Sam Bankman-Fried’s foray into ‘effective altruism.’"  

Cooper noted that in 2020, at the height of activism related to the death of George Floyd, corporations "revved up their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and threw millions of dollars at BLM" but four years later "DEI programs are in retreat" and the left cares more about Israel than police reform. 

"And BLM four years later? It looks like little more than a hustle," Cooper wrote. 

He feels the "latest proof" is that Sir Maejor Page, also known as Tyree Conyers-Page, a former leader of the Atlanta area BLM chapter, was sentenced to 3-and-a-half years in federal prison for money laundering and wire fraud earlier this month. 

LEFT-WING ACTIVIST ALLEGEDLY DEFRAUDED $450G USING 'BLACK LIVES MATTER OF GREATER ATLANTA' FACEBOOK PAGE

But Page isn’t the only former BLM leader to face unflattering accusations. 

"For years, local chapters have fought national parent BLM organizations in disputes over who actually represents the movement and are thus the rightful heirs to tens of millions of dollars in donations. You’ll note that I mentioned parent organizations. There are actually two of them: BLM Global Network Foundation and BLM Grassroots. The latter was formed in 2019 as an umbrella organization of local chapters of the group and is co-directed by Melina Abdullah. Since then, media reports have accused Abdullah and other chapter leaders of using Grassroots’ coffers to pay for vacations to Jamaica and her own personal expenses. (She hasn’t been charged with a crime," Cooper wrote. 

"Abdullah has denied the allegations, but at least $8.7 million in donations is unaccounted for. The answer to where the money went may come soon," he continued. "California attorney general Rob Bonta has demanded that Grassroots turn over delinquent tax filings and late fees before Sunday, October 27. If it doesn’t, the organization’s tax-exempt status will be revoked."

The Free Press report declared that "charting the entire implosion of BLM is a confusing, chaotic endeavor," made even more confusing by legal disputes between BLM Global and BLM Grassroots. It detailed how BLM Global founders acquired a Los Angeles mansion, another mansion in Canada billed as a "transfeminist, queer affirming space politically aligned with supporting Black liberation work across Canada," and additional real estate including a Georgia property big enough for a private runway. 

Cooper reported that co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who has long denied misusing funds, also paid several friends and relatives hundreds of thousands of dollars for things like security "services." 

BLM HAS LEFT BLACK AMERICANS WORSE OFF SINCE THE MOVEMENT BEGAN, EXPERTS SAY

"But lately, donations to BLM Global have gone from a torrent to a trickle. In the fiscal year that ended in June 2023, BLM Global collected $4.6 million while spending $10.8 million, according to its federal filings. And while it still has $25 million in assets, its cash is dwindling. Unless something changes dramatically, the end is likely nigh," Cooper wrote. 

"Maybe, if the founders had been as committed to social justice as to enriching themselves, BLM could have enjoyed a long life as a progressive institution," he added. "But it wasn’t to be."

Cullors did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She has long denied any wrongdoing related to misusing funds. 

Black Lives Matter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Black Lives Matter is headed for INSOLVENCY after plunging $8.5M into the red - but founder Patrisse Cullors' brother was still paid $1.6M for 'security services' in 2022, while sister of board member earned $1.1M for 'consulting'

By: Harriet Alexander

Published: May 24, 2024

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, a non-profit that grew out of the protest movement, is haemorrhaging cash, financial records show 

The group ran an $8.5 million deficit and saw the value of its investment accounts drop by nearly $10 million, with fundraising down 88% year-on-year

Despite the financial woes, the organization still paid relatives of the founder and of a board member hundreds of thousands of dollars for services 

Black Lives Matter's national organization is at risk of going bankrupt after its finances plunged $8.5 million into the red last year - while simultaneously handing multiple staff seven-figure salaries.  

Financial disclosures obtained by The Washington Free Beacon show the perilous state of BLM's Global Network Foundation, which officially emerged in November 2020, as a more formal way of structuring the civil rights movement.

Yet despite the financial controversy and scrutiny, BLM GNF continued to hire relatives of the founder, Patrisse Cullors, and several board members. 

Cullors' brother, Paul Cullors, set up two companies which were paid $1.6 million providing 'professional security services' for Black Lives Matter in 2022.

[ BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors' (left) employed her brother, Paul Cullors (right) for security at BLM's properties ]

[ Paul Cullors was employed as the head of the security team at the $6 million Los Angeles mansion (pictured) bought with charity donations ]

Paul Cullors was also one of BLM's only two paid employees during the year, collecting a $126,000 salary as 'head of security' on top of his consulting fees. He is best known as a graffiti artist, with no background in security.

Patrisse Cullors defended hiring him, saying registered security firms which hired former police officers could not be trusted, given the movement's opposition to police brutality. 

For the previous year, 2021, tax filings revealed that BLM paid a company owned by Damon Turner, the father of Cullors' child, nearly $970,000 to help 'produce live events' and provide other 'creative services.' 

Cullors resigned in May 2021. 

'While Patrisse Cullors was forced to resign due to charges of using BLM's funds for her personal use, it looks like she's still keeping it all in the family,' said Paul Kamenar, an attorney for the National Legal and Policy Center watchdog group. 

Shalomyah Bowers, who took over from Cullors when she resigned, also benefitted handsomely from the group: in 2022, his consultancy firm was paid $1.7 million for management and consulting services, the Free Beacon reported.

And the sister of former Black Lives Matter board member Raymond Howard was also employed in a lucrative role as a consultant.

Danielle Edwards's firm, New Impact Partners, was paid $1.1 million for consulting services in 2022, the Free Beacon said.

BLM GNF also agreed to pay an additional $600,000 to an unidentified former board member's consulting firm 'in connection with a contract dispute'.

The non-profit group ran an $8.5 million deficit, and its investment accounts fell in value by nearly $10 million in the most recent tax year, financial disclosures show.

The group logged a $961,000 loss on a securities sale of $172,000, suggesting the group sustained an 85 percent loss on the transaction. Further details of that security have not been shared. 

And the cash flowing into BLM's coffers has dropped dramatically.

Donations plunged by 88 percent between 2021 and 2022, from $77 million to just $9.3 million for the most recent financial year.  

Patrisse Cullors, who had been at the helm of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation for nearly six years, stepped down in May 2021, amid anger at the group's financial decisions and perceived lack of transparency.

A year later, in May 2022, it was revealed Black Lives Matter spent more than $12 million on luxury properties in Los Angeles and in Toronto - including a $6.3 million 10,000-square-foot property in Canada that was purchased as part of a $8M 'out of country grant.'

The Toronto property was bought with grant money that was meant for 'activities to educate and support black communities, and to purchase and renovate property for charitable use.' 

The group had said it was planning to use the property as main headquarters in Canada, and it has now been named the Wilseed Center for Arts and Activism. 

It emerged that Cullors transferred millions from the organization to a charity run by her wife, Janaya Khan, to purchase the property. 

Cullors admitted to AP that her group was ill-equipped to handle the finances of a charity which received $90 million the year after George Floyd was killed - but denied any wrongdoing.

Cullors issued a statement denying she used the $6 million LA property for personal purposes, but then had to backtrack and admit she had used the compound for purposes that were not strictly business. 

The activist also amassed a $3 million property portfolio of her own, including homes in LA and Georgia, although there is no suggestion of any financial impropriety.

It is not known if the group paid out lucrative contracting fees to Cullors' friends and family past June 2022, when a new board of directors was brought in.

The board is now led by nonprofit adviser Cicley Gay, who has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy three times since 2005.

Gay was ordered by a court to attend financial management lessons, and at the time of her appointment in April 2022 had more than $120,000 in unpaid debt. 

She was one of three people appointed to the board, the organization said in a tweet. She subsequently was described as being chair of the board.

She told The New York Times she had been appointed to straighten out the organization's finances, after BLMGFN faced intense scrutiny over its spending of donor cash.

'No one expected the foundation to grow at this pace and to this scale,' said Gay.

'Now, we are taking time to build efficient infrastructure to run the largest Black, abolitionist, philanthropic organization to ever exist in the United States.'

It later emerged that Gay has been declared bankrupt three times, according to federal reports obtained by The New York Post. 

Gay, a mother of three, filed for bankruptcy in 2005, 2013 and 2016. 

BLMGFN has faced intense questions about its handling of donations, which surged in particular during the George Floyd protests in the summer of 2020.

The organization in February 2021 said it had taken in more than $90 million in 2020 and still had $60 million on hand.

Last year, it was down to $42 million, while the Free Beacon reports BLM has now spent two thirds of the $90 million cash it had to hand. 

Cullors, the co-founder of the organization, resigned in May 2021 as director of BLMGNF, amid scrutiny of her own property empire. She has written best-selling books, and has a contract with Warner Brothers to produce content.

Then in April 2022 it emerged that BLMGFN had bought a mansion in Los Angeles for $5.8 million, which they said was to be used as a 'safe space' for activists and for events.

The organization responded to the reports in a lengthy Twitter feed, with the group noting that more 'transparency' was required going forward.

[ Black Lives Matter has apologized following an expose that detailed how the organization had used donations to purchase a $6 million home in Los Angeles ]

[ In a lengthy Twitter thread on Monday morning, the group vowed to be more transparent in the future ]

'There have been a lot of questions surrounding recent reports about the purchase of Creator's House in California. Despite past efforts, BLMGNF recognizes that there is more work to do to increase transparency and ensure transitions in leadership are clear,' it stated.

BLM then proceeded to blame the media for the furore and the 'inflammatory and speculative' reports that saw journalists probing the group's financials saying that it 'caused harm' 

The reports 'do not reflect the totality of the movement,' the organization claimed.

'We know narratives like this cause harm to organizers doing brilliant work across the country and these reports do not reflect the totality of the movement,' one of the tweets reads. 'We apologize for the distress this has caused to our supporters and those who work in service of Black liberation daily.' 

'We are redoubling our efforts to provide clarity about BLMGNF's work,' noting an 'internal audit' was underway together with 'tightening compliance operations and creating a new board to help steer to the organization to its next evolution.'  

[ The organization also criticized the original New Yorker article, pictured above, describing it as 'inflammatory and speculative' ]

[ BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors (above) came under fire last year for a slew of high-profile property purchases. She resigned in May 2021 and has called reports investigation the $6 million mansion 'despicable' and claimed that criticisms against her are 'sexist and racist' ]

[ The home features six bedrooms and a pool in the back. BLM claimed the home was bought to provide a safe house for 'black creativity' but had allegedly tried to hide the home's existence  ]

[ The mansion comes complete with a sound stage (pictured) and mini filming studio which the group had used in one of its video campaigns ]

BLM attempted to justify the purchase of the mansion by saying it was made to encourage 'Black creativity' with the property 'a space for Black folks to share their gifts with the world and hone their crafts as we see it.' 

The organization also went on to defend how the funds the group raised were spent including the $3 million used for 'COVID relief' and a further $25 million dollars to black-led organizations.

'We are embracing this moment as an opportunity for accountability, healing, truth-telling, and transparency. We understand the necessity of working intentionally to rebuild trust so we can continue forging a new path that sustains Black people for generations,' the group wrote. 

The barrage of tweets, which notably had their comments turned off, ended with the group announcing they were 'embracing this moment as an opportunity for accountability, healing, truth-telling, and transparency' and 'working intentionally to rebuild trust.' 

[ Internal memos from BLM revealed the group wanted to keep the purchase secret, despite filming a video on the home's patio in May ]

[ The Studio City home - which sits on a three-quarter-acre lot - boasts more than half-dozen bedrooms and bathrooms, a 'butler's pantry' in the kitchen (pictured) ]

Concerns over the groups finances have swirled for years with BLM coming under intense scrutiny in the past. 

In February 2022 the group stopped online fundraising following a demand by the California attorney general tho show where millions of dollars in donations received in 2020 went. 

The group said the 'shutdown' was simply short term while any 'issues related to state fundraising compliance' were addressed.

--

Everybody figured out that it was a scam and always has been.

criticisms against her are 'sexist and racist'

"How dare you notice the things that I'm doing?" is the manipulative language of an abuser.

to rebuild trust

Grifters gotta grift. Defund BLM.

[busterballsblog]

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation — Donate via AB Charities

BLM is counting on your support. They have done so much work in the advancement of blacks.

[mojave-pete]

Breaks my heart no more looting, burning or killings!

[andronetalks]

BLM Global Network files $33 million lawsuit against group helping fund college protests

New York Post By Isabel VincentPublished May 9, 2024Updated May 9, 2024, 8:56 a.m. ET A progressive nonprofit that has been shelling out cash to anti-Israel protest groups is being sued by Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation for fraud and withholding more than $33 million in donations, a bombshell lawsuit claims. Tides Foundation, which has managed hundreds of millions in donations for…

[elianastuckey]

Multimedia Journal Entry 3

The Black Lives Matter movement was a significant initiative that was launched in 2013. According to its founders, the main objective of the organization is to "eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by state vigilantes. We are achieving immediate improvement in our lives by preventing and responding to violent acts, fostering Black creativity and innovation, and putting Black joy front and center (BLM, 2023). By providing loan forgiveness and student assistance, this organization continues to support the black community. In a manner like the actions taken during the civil rights movement, they empower the African American community.

We examined numerous instances of how people of color are treated differently in the United States throughout the course. Peggy McIntosh realized that society had barriers for people of color.  Since the beginning of our nation, this has been a constant battle. The fight against white supremacy has seen many attempts, all of which have been unsuccessful.

During the 1960s, Milwaukee experienced housing problems where black individuals were being forced out of their neighborhoods. When trying to rent or purchase a home outside their designated areas, they encountered little resistance. A photograph shows a group of counter-protestors exhibiting racial prejudice against the black community by holding signs that read "God is White." Sadly, these difficulties from the past persist in present times.

The Black Lives Matter movement's goal includes telling the tragic tales of those who lost their lives because of white supremacy. This is done in the hopes of motivating a growing number of people to join the movement and effect change. Tyre Nichols' story is one of many that are shared on the website. The Memphis Police Department caused Tyre to pass away.  The police officers who beat Tyre to death were allegedly black, according to the media, but a board member of BLM says that ALL police "represent the interests of capitalism and impel state-sanctioned violence." White supremacy is maintained by anyone who participates in a system that supports state-sanctioned violence (Parker, 2023). This only serves to highlight the continued racial foundation of our society and political system.

“Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Statement on the Murder of Tyre Nichols.” Blacklivesmatter.Com, 27 Jan. 2023, https://blacklivesmatter.com/black-lives-matter-global-network-foundation-statement-on-the-murder-of-tyre-nichols/.

[knowledgeisgood1]

Media Roundup

Following the death of George Floyd in 2020, Black Lives Matter received over $90 million from corporate America and other donors. Now comes word that for the 2022 tax year the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation ran an $8.5 million deficit and incurred a nearly $10 million decrease in the value of its investment accounts. Reportedly, BLM has “blown through” two-thirds of the $90…

[politicalmojonews]

BLM’s financial fall proves it only used dead black people to cash in

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation finished the fiscal year with a deficit of nearly $9 million, according to tax filings. Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images Some lottery winners have described their situation as being at the right place at the right time to receive their fortuitous ticket to wealth. Their windfall immediately changes their lives, making them responsible…

[korrektheiten]

Black Lives Matter steht vor der Insolvenz

Transition News: »Der nationalen US-Organisation Black Lives Matter (BLM) droht der Bankrott. Wie The Washington Free Beacon nach Einsicht von Steuerdokumenten informiert, sind die Finanzen ihrer Global Network Foundation 2022 mit 8,5 Millionen Dollar in die roten Zahlen gerutscht. Gleichzeitig erhielten mehrere Mitarbeiter und Vorstandsmitglieder, die mit der Gründerin Patrisse Cullors und den Anführern verbunden sind, siebenstellige Gehälter. Laut dem Medienportal hat Paul Cullors, der Bruder von Patrisse (...) - Varia / Bewegung, Korruption, Ethik, Propaganda, USA, Corona-Transition.org, Polizeigewalt http://dlvr.it/Spn2fs «

[dertaglichedan]

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, a non-profit that grew out of the protest movement, is haemorrhaging cash, financial records show

The group ran an $8.5 million deficit and saw the value of its investment accounts drop by nearly $10 million, with fundraising down 88% year-on-year

Despite the financial woes, the organization still paid relatives of the founder and of a board member hundreds of thousands of dollars for services

[jgparra]

Black Lives Matter

https://blacklivesmatter.com/about/

A huge initiative started in the year 2013 was the Black Lives Matter initiative. The main goal as described by its founders is to "eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by state vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvement in our lives" (BLM, 2023). This organization continues to support help the black community by offering student relief and loan forgiveness. They empower the African American community, similarly to the efforts seen during the civil right movement.

Throughout the semester we looked at various examples of how people of color are treated differently within the U.S. As mentioned in my previous blog where we talked about the film Black Panther, Peggy McIntosh's realization that society placed barriers for people of color. This has been an ongoing struggle, from the foundation of our country to this day. We've seen multiple efforts to combat white supremacy but have continuously fallen short. Another example that we learned about in class was the March of Milwaukee.

(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1967)

In the 1960's, Milwaukee's African American population was facing a housing problem. They were being kicked out of their neighborhoods and were not being turned down when they tried to buy or rent in neighborhoods that were not "their confined" areas. As we see in the image above, a group of counter-protestors hold signs saying "God is White" This comes to show the racial prejudice that exists against the Black community. Unfortunately, the struggles that citizens were having back in the 1960's are still happening today.

https://blacklivesmatter.com/black-lives-matter-global-network-foundation-statement-on-the-murder-of-tyre-nichols/

Part of the mission of the Black Lives Matter movement, is to share the stories of those that unfortunately have lost their life due white supremacy. This is done in hopes to inspire more and more people to support the movement and make a change. One of the stories shared on the website is the one of Tyre Nichols. Tyre lost his life at the hands of the Memphis Police Department. An argument that the media was making was that the police officers who beat Tyre to death were black but BLM board member states, " ALL police represent the interest of capitalism and impel state- sanctioned violence. Anyone who works within a system the perpetuates state-sanctioned violence is complicit in upholding white supremacy" (Parker, 2023). This just comes to show how our society and our political system continues to be based on racism.

[msclaritea]

Here’s the Real Takeaway From Black Lives Matter’s Sketchy Finances

Here’s the Real Takeaway From Black Lives Matter’s Sketchy Finances

Following the reveal of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s IRS tax documents, it’s now safe to say that there’s something questionable going on at the social justice nonprofit.

According to the group’s Form 990, first reported by Associated Press, BLM is worth nearly $42 million in net assets—after spending more than $37 million of the $90 million it previously had on high-end real estate, familiar consultants, ambitious grants, and more.

One of the more concerning situations revealed by the financial disclosures is the fact that co-founder Patrisse Cullors was the foundation board’s sole voting director, and held no board meetings, before stepping down last year. Under her leadership, Cullors authorized a six-figure payout to be given to her child’s father for various services, paid $1.8 million to companies owned by her relatives, and ensured that her brother, Paul Cullors, was one of the highest-paid employees of BLM.

This is yet another wave of bad news for Cullors, who has constantly denied financial impropriety, as she has previously tried to quell any growing concerns around her decision-making. These tax documents not only proved that Cullors lied about misusing some of the funds (such as hosting a birthday party for her son and throwing a private Biden inauguration celebration in the multimillion dollar property intended for activists and creators), but that she did so repeatedly.

“I’m a human being that has made mistakes that want to change, want to challenge those mistakes and want to learn from those mistakes,” Cullors told Trymaine Lee of MSNBC’s “Into America” podcast on Monday. “And I think what’s been hard is feeling like there isn’t room and space for that.”

“If the public at large wanted to fund multimillion-dollar villas, top-flight exec travel, and cashed-out gigs for the founder’s relatives, they could have easily donated to the Trump Foundation.”

While all of this news is disappointing and alarming, there’s one truth that we should all take in: All politics is local, including the grassroots activism it takes to organize.

For years, much of what Cullors now describes as the “white guilt money” has been geared towards national organizations, like BLM, that say their missions are focused on addressing racial injustice. Cullors once made headlines for saying that hearing the term “990s” was “triggering” to her—but that’s what nonprofit transparency looks like. If the public at large wanted to fund multimillion-dollar villas, top-flight exec travel, and cashed-out gigs for the founder’s relatives, they could have easily donated to the Trump Foundation.

Local Black Lives Matter chapters across the country have for years raised concerns over how the national arm had been leaving them fiscally malnourished. And that this could happen as their co-founders garnered lucrative book deals, speaking engagements, and career opportunities.

For donors of all identities, giving to the national organization felt like an easy way to maximize impact. But I would bet that most donors are probably furious to see their money going towards anything but direct action on the ground.

It’s hard not to imagine how this money could have best been spent if local chapters and other more direct on-the-ground activist groups were given a larger chunk of this money to do the actual work. To now be fully aware that a great deal of the $90 million raised for BLM during the racial uprisings of 2020 didn’t actually go to fuel the continuation of similar activity on the local level—that feels like betrayal. Even worse, it’s hard not to consider such fundraising as anything more than just a big grift.

To those who have been giving money to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, now is the time to stop.

BLM Activist Accuses DeRay of Stealing His Work in Ugly Spat

This is not to say that you shouldn’t give money to Black activism efforts, but to rethink who and where you’re giving it to. While it will require some additional work on your end to find local groups worthy of your financial support, such funds will make a more meaningful impact than whatever trickles down from some giant conglomerate—especially one that can afford to buy mansions, while many neighborhood orgs can barely keep the lights on.

To cite one personal example, I made the informed decision to cease donating to national political LGBTQIA organizations in 2016. The impetus was the Human Rights Coalition—a big national org—dragging its feet on rescinding its endorsement of former Republican Sen. Mark Kirk, who had made racist remarks at the time. As a Black queer man, I was furious that the organization had decided to use diverse resources to back a Senate Republican who they hadn’t fully vetted for problematic behavior.

Since then, I’ve found more pride in direct giving funds and donating volunteer hours to local nonprofits that do more intersectional work, such as the William Way LGBT Community Center in my own backyard of Philadelphia.

At a time when resources are scarce and there appear to be more problems than solutions, it’s time for us all to remember the importance of local grassroots efforts that have always empowered the people and politics. If the power is truly to the people, so should the funding—and such funding should never fall onto $6 million mansions and VIP parties, but on the ground where the people are.

[schwarz-gerat]

"intifada - a call to murder israelis and jews" ez siman nem igaz, nem ezt jelenti, most a finom izraeli = zsido csusztatasrol nem is beszelve

blm (kit erdekel amugy, de) BLM Chicago’s backtrack came as the BLM Global Network Foundation reportedly made clear it is not connected to the Chicago offshoot or Black Lives Matter Grassroots group that is also under fire over posts tied to the Hamas attack. (nypost) gondolom vmi fizetetlen intern kb kirakta ezt a hülyeseget

"more than 30 student groups" ezekben kik vannak benne es ez hany hallgato? a 8 fös sakk-klub vagy a harvard hallgatosaganak a 97%-a? (egy ilyen nyilt level miert jelenti amugy, hogy akkor ez az akarhany darab akarkicsoda hamas-tamogato lenne? lolbazmeg)

nem annyira valtozott meg a benyomasom, hogy szeretsz felhaborodni, ugyhogy keresel a twitteren meg a tumblrön posztokat, amiken fel lehet haborodni, illetve allitani valamit vagy ervelni valami mellett tovabbra sem sikerült. ez igy egy 4chan troll szintje. nem erdekel.

:-(

@schwarz-gerat