Black Lives Matter Is Raising Money But Where Is It Going?
Since 2013, “Black Lives Matter” has risen in popularity and has raised millions of dollars, but there has been a lot of criticism surrounding the BLM Network and where the money they are earning is going. We discuss it here!
By: Kwana Adams
Since its conception in 2013, Black Lives Matter has steadily risen to prominence. With the publicity, they’ve received a lot of money, and with that money came a lot of criticism. In 2020, the BLM Network foundation raised $90 million.
According to their impact report, they donated a quarter of it to BLM chapters and local organizations. There has been a lot of criticism surrounding the BLM Network and where the money they are earning is going. Samaria Rice, the mother of Tamir Rice, has accused BLM and activists of exploiting and profiting off her son’s death and other black people who were victims of police brutality.
She is joined by Lisa Simpson, Richard Risher’s mother, in slamming activists allegedly profiting off black death but not donating to the families affected. They are calling for the organization and other activists to step down and stop using their families’ names to gain recognition. They are also demanding some of the money that BLM has earned, claiming they never saw a penny of it.
Michael Brown Sr, whose son Michael Brown was shot by a police officer in 2014, is demanding $20 million of what BLM made. He received $500 from the BLM Network since 2014. Michael Brown’s case was a high-profile case in Ferguson, Missouri, after courts decided not to indict the police officer who shot him. The shooting itself caused months of protest in Ferguson,, and it was news all over the country.
Although Black Lives Matter was a response to what happened to Trayvon Martin, it was the Ferguson case that really brought it into the spotlight further. Michael Brown was only 18, and he was allegedly shot with his hands up, implying that he was surrendering while the officer was still shooting. This is still something that no one knows for sure is true, but the “Hands up, don’t shoot” slogan was birthed from it.
The biggest thing that upset me about this case and many others like it was that Michael Brown was unarmed, despite whether he actually had his hands up or not. The world began widely questioning why the police keep shooting unarmed black men with no repercussions.
Michael Brown Sr and other Ferguson activists believe that BLM should donate some of the funding they received to him and the community. They hope to use the money for their “Chosen for Change” foundation, the Mike Brown community center, grants for Ferguson protests and activists, and more, including an annual commemoration of Mike Brown Jr’s death. This is the first year that the network has been open about their finances and Patrisse Cullors, BLM co-founder, says they plan to reinvest the money into their organization and chapters.
There has been a lot of opinions from both sides on what BLM should do with the money. Some people believe they should be morally obligated to give more money to the families of the victims they gain prominence from. Others believe that they should be allowed to spend the money how they see fit. The whole platform and main purpose of Black Lives Matter is to “eradicate white supremacy, and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on black communities by the state and vigilantes.” No one can deny the work they have done in spreading awareness and organizing protests to demand change. We also can’t deny that the only reason they are able to do this work is because of the families who have lost their loved ones due to a police killing that went unpunished.
They keep their names amplified so that no one forgets them. However, when it comes to assisting these families, I believe they can do better. I personally think they should leave some space in their budget to give to those asking. A lot of these families are tirelessly working in their own communities trying to gain justice and spark change. They are not just simply asking for handouts. Should the BLM Network give some of their money to the families who ask for it or should it be their choice to give and decide the amount they want to give?
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Danye Jones Was Lynched in 2018: We Should Be Talking About This More
24 year old Danye Jones was lynched in mid October in Missouri. Black men are still dying as a result of racist acts without getting the coverage and justice they deserve. Don’t let his story go unnoticed.
By: Omar Cook
Every parent’s worst fear is to find out that their child has died, but to find out that your son was lynched is a nightmare no parent should have to endure. On October 17, Melissa McKinnies found her 24 year old son, Danye Jones, hanging from a tree in their own backyard outside of St. Louis County, Missouri. The fact that this happened in 2018, just lets us know that we aren’t as progressive of a society as we think we are.
McKinnies found her son dangling from a bed sheet that did not belong to them and insists that her son was murdered even though the situation is being investigated as a suicide. McKinnies posted a picture of Danye’s lynching in a facebook post that has been deleted saying “This is what I woke up to. They lynched my baby,” she wrote. “I’m sick and losing my mind but I had to let the world see what they did to my baby.”
Melissa McKinnies was a prominent activist and protester in the city and helped setup protests during the Ferguson uprisings in 2014. “She said he was targeted and murdered in retaliation for her activism,” according to the Post-Dispatch. “They watched my house and when my husband and my son would approach the car, they would drive off,” McKinnies told KMOV-TV. This is the third death involving Ferguson activists as DeAndre Joshua, was murdered in 2014, and Darren Seals in 2016. Both of these men were found inside of vehicles that had been torched.
“Three untimely deaths in St. Louis County over the past four years have inspired speculation that Ferguson protesters are being systematically murdered,” The Washington Post reports, “although so far there is no evidence to suggest that the parallels are anything more than coincidental.” It’s unfortunate that black people can’t protest in this country without receiving threats or being ridiculed for speaking out on issues. NFL players kneel for situations like this, but there are people who choose to ignore that racism is still a major problem in this country, and will try to sweep the issues under the rug to fit their agenda.
McKinnies may have to face the harsh reality that this case may not get the justice it deserves. These are the types of stories that mainstream media needs to be covering but instead it’s up to black sources to cover our own stories. As a black parent, you almost have to be cautious every time your child steps foot outside of the house. It’s sad that there are people that are filled with so much hate that they have to murder someone because they have opposing beliefs. This is the America that we still live in. Racism is very much alive and black men are still dying as a result of it.
