Los Angeles, CA — Following the 12-year anniversary, Black Lives Matter (BLM), announced the launch of “Black Play Matters,” a new initiative investing in safe spaces, enrichment, and imagination for Black people around the world. By partnering with community organizations across the diaspora, BLM seeks to reclaim play as a powerful act of revolution and liberation.
For generations, Black people across every age and walk of life have used imagination to turn sidewalks into dance floors and city parks into stages of joy and resilience. Black Lives Matter announced the new program, reaffirming its commitment to investing in the conditions that allow Black people to flourish, free from bias and barriers.
The new Black Play Matters initiative seeks to amplify the tradition of play within Black communities by expanding access to play, art, and opportunity, essential experiences for a thriving community. This campaign is dedicated to building safe spaces and broadening opportunities for everyday participation in meaningful activities that foster health and vitality. What does radical innovation look like when imagination is nurtured to create new worlds? By reclaiming the idea of play as a catalyst for liberation, the foundation positions it as a powerful pathway to a future filled with possibility.
“Black Play Matters is built on a simple, powerful truth that true justice means more than just fighting harm,” said Cicley Gay, board chairwoman of Black Lives Matter. “As an organization committed to building Black power and liberation, we remain intentional about investing in the conditions that allow Black communities to flourish, unburdened by bias, surveillance, or systemic barriers.”
The initiative launched with a kick-off event during WNBA All-Star Weekend, where WNBA trailblazers Sheryl Swoopes and Ty Young were honored alongside visionary sports executive Natalie White and Katina Washington, founder of The SHE Xperience (pictured below).
The inaugural cohort of grantee partners for this campaign includes organizations dedicated to offering a wide range of enrichment opportunities for Black people. These programs span free swim and surf lessons, leadership and mentorship academies, as well as soccer and basketball initiatives. Examples of these partners include:
- Free All Minds: Free All Minds is a year-round leadership academy in Camden, New Jersey, dedicated to guiding young men academically, professionally, and emotionally. They boast a 100% high school graduation rate, with 96% of students advancing to college or trade school. Their annual Summer Field Day fosters community engagement and celebrates the achievements of their students.
- Ebony Beach Club: Founded in 1957 as an exclusive Black beachside haven in California, Ebony Beach Club was reclaimed and rebranded to reconnect Black and brown communities to the beach, celebrating freedom and belonging. Despite early setbacks due to land seizure, the movement now hosts large events like the Juneteenth celebration at Santa Monica Pier, reviving Silas White’s vision. It stands as a powerful symbol of resilience and cultural pride.
- TUFF (Teaching Us Fitness and Fundamentals): TUFF empowers youth in New York through mentorship in fitness and financial literacy, using sports as a transformative tool to build leaders. The program emphasizes community, purpose, and legacy; teaching young athletes not only how to play but how to live with financial awareness. Staff and volunteers inspire resilience and self-investment, fostering long-term success.
- Afrikicks Partnership: The foundation recently partnered with Afrikicks to support communities in Niger and Ghana, strengthening unity and cultural exchange across the African diaspora. Together, the group delivered over 5,000 pairs of shoes, 40,000 toys, and $150,000 worth of clothes, and built three water wells to improve health and access to clean water. This collaboration not only addresses immediate needs but also serves as a model for future alliances between social justice and humanitarian organizations. It encourages Americans, especially those of African descent, to honor their heritage and build lasting global partnerships.
Having grown into the largest racial and social justice movement in history, Black Lives Matter’s vision of Black liberation has resonated with communities across the globe. Since 2020, the foundation has distributed nearly $40 million to support Black-led frontline organizations and family foundations led by those directly impacted by police brutality, as well as provided COVID relief funding and community microgrants to support Black communities.
BLM invites brands, organizations, and individuals to join the campaign to build a future where Black people are free to play, dream, and thrive—moving beyond mattering toward true flourishing.
About Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s mission is to work inside and outside of the system to heal the past, re-imagine the present, and invest in the future of Black lives through policy change, education, healing justice, and a commitment to the arts. The organization’s vision is to imagine a world where Black people across the diaspora thrive, experience joy, and are not defined by their struggles.
