By D’Zhane Parker and Cicley Gay
Board Directors, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
2020 saw what was likely the largest mobilization in U.S. history. Following the murder of George Floyd, people took to the streets across the globe in the name of justice and under the banner of Black Lives Matter. As a result, racial justice organizations saw an outpouring of support. Millions donated their time, talents, and money to the cause. The unprecedented support Black Lives Matter received carried a unique responsibility, as this quickly became the people’s movement. Many have constructively criticized the organization.
We know the true power of any movement lies with the people: the families that refuse to settle, organizers building communities from the ground up, the leaders that drive change each and every day, and each of us that continues to demand a system built on bigotry be transformed toward accountability, equity, and investment in system-impacted communities.
Today, we are announcing a decision rooted in reflection, accountability, and purpose. The property acquired in 2020, preceding this board’s leadership, will now be put on the market. This decision has been a long time coming. We see this as a step toward restorative justice and an attempt to make amends to those that trusted our Foundation’s stewardship over the generous support we’ve received throughout the years.
Restorative justice demands action and requires us to ask difficult questions about how resources are held, who benefits from them, and how we can better align our decisions with the needs of the community we serve.
As a Board, we are committed to ensuring that this decision is part of a broader effort to deepen trust, articulate accountability, and realign with the foundational principles that brought so many assets together in the first place. We cannot change the past, but we can direct the future.
This is one of many steps we will continue to take to ensure this organization continues to evolve solely in the interest of the Black community at large.
