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“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” – Assata Shakur

We envision a future fully divested from police, prisons, and all punishment paradigms, a future which invests in justice, joy, and culture.

Our Work

BLM Presents: What Matters Podcast

The purpose of the What Matters podcast is to explore how we can address our problems together rather than settling for the typical two-party system and accepting the lack of investment in Black communities that we’ve seen for decades. Our community is diverse and multifaceted, and we recognize that no one-size-fits-all solution exists.

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Photo of the Hosts of the BLM Presents: What Matters Podcast

A Full Circle Moment: Honoring Elaine Brown and Continuing the Legacy

Elaine Brown’s leadership of the Black Panther Party and her continued efforts in building affordable housing and community businesses in West Oakland reflect a full circle moment and serve as a powerful inspiration for Black Lives Matter to advance the fight for Black liberation and self-determination.

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Black Lives Matter presented former Black Panther Chairwoman Elaine Brown with $1 million to fund the Black Panther building in West Oakland and the Black-owned businesses that will make it thrive!

The Student Solidarity Fund

We are in a student debt crisis. The average debt among Black bachelor degree holders is $52,000 dollars. We grew tired of waiting for the government to take effective action… so, we decided to do it ourselves. Learn more!

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The Survival Fund

The Survival Fund is a direct assistance program that has successfully granted over $3 million dollars in financial relief to 3,000 Black folks in need. Meet the individuals and communities directly supported.

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Survival Fund Grantee Kusema Thomas with his son on his shoulders and his arm around his other son walking on a street at sunset with palm trees on the background

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Updates

Radical Love in Motion: BLM in Africa

Blackness is global, and our commitment to liberation knows no borders. This past month, Black Lives Matter traveled to Ghana, reconnecting with our global community and deepening our commitment to Black flourishing across the globe. Alongside incredible partners, we commissioned three boreholes and built essential water wells for communities in dire need.
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Juneteenth

Juneteenth, America’s newest federal holiday, was meant to symbolize a national reckoning with history and a celebration of freedom. Yet, just a few years later, we find Juneteenth events canceled in cities across the country as backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives intensifies. This is not just an administrative shift, it’s a cultural…
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Understanding the History of Torture in America

Did you know June is Torture Awareness Month? It’s okay if you didn’t. Most people don’t even know that Torture Awareness Month exists. Even fewer know that torture is happening right here, on U.S. soil, every single day.
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Engage With Us

Frontline Organizing, Policy

250 Years

These profound words from Frederick Douglass’s speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” echo just as powerfully today as when he first spoke them in 1852. They reflect the complicated reality Black people continue to face each Independence Day. We’re supposed to celebrate freedom on days when we aren’t free.
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Healing Justice

Juneteenth on the Pier

Ebony Beach Club has partnered with Black Lives Matter and invites you to the Santa Monica Pier for a Juneteenth celebration unlike any that California has ever seen. We’re bringing sun, surf, and soul to the pier in a full-day experience honoring Black joy, freedom, and community. From morning surf lessons to a highly anticipated…
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Policy

Thank President Biden and push him to go further with proactive pardons protecting the right to protest

Any attempt to evade or override the will of voters in the Democratic Party’s primary system—no matter how historic the candidate—must be condemned. We demand an informal, virtual snap primary now that the incumbent president is no longer in the running. Join us in calling on the DNC by adding your name to our petition.
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