Patrisse Cullors, the Black Lives Matter co-founder with four homes and millions in the bank, announced on Thursday she is stepping down from the organization, Aaron Morrison reported for AP.
"I’ve created the infrastructure and the support, and the necessary bones and foundation, so that I can leave,” she said. "It feels like the time is right."
Morrison also reported:
The 37-year-old activist said her resignation has been in the works for more than a year and has nothing to do with the personal attacks she has faced from far-right groups or any dissension within the movement.
“Those were right-wing attacks that tried to discredit my character, and I don’t operate off of what the right thinks about me,” Cullors said.
...
“I think I will probably be less visible, because I won’t be at the helm of one of the largest, most controversial organizations right now in the history of our movement,” Cullors said.
“I’m aware that I’m a leader, and I don’t shy away from that. But no movement is one leader.”
As Leah reported last month, Cullors really brought negative attention upon herself with that latest home in a California neighborhood where less than 2 population is black, and carries with it a price tag of $1.4 million.
Coverage of the story from the New York Post was censored by Facebook, however.
Wealth is not inherently a bad thing. Cullors must surely be living the American dream. What is bad is that Cullors isn't exactly living like the "trained Marxist" she appears so proud to be, especially since she's said it was "really cool" for people to "make that connection" between her writing and Mao's red book.
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Morrison also included statements from fellow BLM activists who are less than pleased about where the money is going and to whom. BLM took in over $90 million last year:
Critics of the foundation contend more of that money should have gone to the families of Black victims of police brutality who have been unable to access the resources needed to deal with their trauma and loss.
“That is the most tragic aspect,” said the Rev. T. Sheri Dickerson, president of an Oklahoma City BLM chapter and a representative of the #BLM10, a national group of organizers that has publicly criticized the foundation over funding and transparency.
“I know some of (the families) are feeling exploited, their pain exploited, and that’s not something that I ever want to be affiliated with,” Dickerson said.
Rev. Dickerson isn't the only one with complaints. Julio highlighted a Facebook post last month from Breonna Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer. In it she called the Louisville chapter of BLM "frauds" and criticized the organization for raising money but that they "never done a damn thing for us nor have we needed it."
Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor, posted on Facebook how upset she was at people who have claimed to be there for her family but have done nothing for them, specifically calling the Louisville chapter of Black Lives Matter "frauds."
As Julio shared:
"I think it’s crazy when people say they’ve been here since day 1, let me be clear Christopher 2x, The Montgomery family (Angie, Cheri, TiJuan & Craig) is the one and only day one’s not to mention Breonna’s friends and family but they’ve never needed Recognition," Palmer wrote on Wednesday.
"I have never personally dealt with BLM Louisville and personally have found them to be fraud, Attica Scott another fraud, Then There’s the people at injustice Square a.k.a. BREEWAYY who has been 100 and held it down but that doesn’t go to say everyone down there but they know who they are & also never needed recognition," she continued. "I could walk in a room full of people who claim to be here for Breonna’s family who don’t even know who I am?, I’ve watched y’all raise money on behalf of Breonna’s family who has never done a damn thing for us nor have we needed it? or asked so Talk about fraud. It’s amazing how many people have lost focus Smdh. I’m a say this before I go I’m so sick of some of y’all and I was last anybody who needs it I’m with this shit enough is enough!!!"
Katie reported with regards to that $90 million that the BLM affiliates have lamented their lack of funding. In addition to Morrison's AP report from February, she referenced one from Politco as evidence the founders are rake in profits, taking advantage of the local groups.
And, Matt reported last month that BLM leadership splurged on their meetings, to the tune of $26,000 at the Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club in Malibu.
Andrew Kerr with the Daily Caller News Foundation had also reported that Cullors had funneled business to a company run by Damon Turner, who is the father of her only child, though Turner and Cullors did not disclose that. As Kerr wrote:
The company, Trap Heals, was formed just days before partnering with Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation and later became the charity’s “lead developer of the art & cultural efforts,” according to business records, interviews and an archived version of Trap Heals’ website. Two other activist groups Cullors led paid Trap Heals a collective $238,000 to produce an election night livestream and for consulting services, campaign finance records show.
Cullors will be gone the very next day, on Friday, reportedly to work on her second book and a TV deal with Warner Brothers. At least she won't have to \worry about seeming like such a hypocrite while she continues making her millions.
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