BLM Has Raked in Billions Since George Floyd’s Death — Local Chapters Want to Know Where It’s Gone

Ten local chapters of the Black Lives Matter movement released a public statement on Monday outlining deficits in leadership, organization, and financial accounting of the BLM national umbrella organization, the Black Lives Matter Global Network (BLMGN) Foundation. BLM national doesn’t want to hear it.

“Since the establishment of BLMGN, our chapters have consistently raised concerns about financial transparency, decision making, and accountability. Despite years of effort, no acceptable internal process of accountability has ever been produced by BLMGN and these recent events have undermined the efforts of chapters seeking to democratize its processes and resources.”

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{snip} They write that “in the spirit of transparency, accountability, and responsibility to our community,” they “believe public accountability has become necessary.”

“Patrisse Cullors, as the sole board member of BLMGN,” who “became Executive Director against the will of most chapters and without their knowledge.”

“The newly announced formation, BLM Grassroots,” which “does not have the support of and was created without consultation with the vast majority of chapters.”

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“…most chapters have received little to no financial support from BLMGN since the launch in 2013. It was only in the last few months that selected chapters appear to have been invited to apply for a $500,000 grant created with resources generated because of the organizing labor of chapters. This is not the equity and financial accountability we deserve.”

BLMGN announced in June that it was launching a $6.5 million fund to support grassroots organizing work for its local chapters. According to the statement, chapters were only allowed to apply for grants beginning July.

According to the statement, “BLM Grassroots was allegedly created to support the organizational needs of chapters, separate from the financial functions of BLMGN. We, the undersigned chapters, believe that all of these events occurred without democracy, and assert that it was without the knowledge of the majority of Black Lives Matters chapters across the country and world.”

The statement was signed by the BLM chapters in Philadelphia, Penn., Washington, D.C., Chicago, Ill., Hudson Valley, NY, Oklahoma City, Okla., Indianapolis, Ind., Denver, Colo., Vancouver, Wash., San Diego, Calif., and in New Jersey.

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According to Axios, “…the 100 largest U.S. companies have so far committed $1.63 billion to organizations fighting racism and inequality.” Analysis of social media posts, blogs, and public statements by The Federalist show that Decker’s Uggs, Amazon, Pepsi’s Gatorade, Microsoft, Warner Records, Intel, Bungie of Xbox and Microsoft Games, and Mondelez International’s Nabisco as well as many other companies all specifically pledged money to the BLMGN Foundation following the death of George Floyd.

The Daily Caller reported in June that the BLMGN “…spent millions on consultants, travel and compensation for its own staff between July 2017 and June 2019, according to audited financial statements prepared by its fiscal sponsor, Thousand Currents.”

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In June, BLMGN told The New York Times it has received more than 1.1 million donations since Floyd’s death with an average donation of $33.

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