Local BLM Chapters Want Answers on Finances From National Leaders

Local BLM Chapters Want Answers on Finances From National Leaders

December 3, 2020

In an online statement, leaders of several local Black Lives Matter (BLM) chapters around the U.S. said they want transparency about finances and other operations from the national group.

“[W]e expected that the central organizational entity, most recently referred to as the Black Lives Matter Global Network (BLMGN) Foundation, would support us chapters in our efforts to build communally,” the statement reads. “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.”

Among the statement’s grievances are a complaint that founding member Patrisse Cullors became Executive Director “against the will of most chapters and without their knowledge”; that the “formation of BLM Grassroots effectively separated the majority of chapters from BLMGN without their consent”; that there is “no acceptable process of either public or internal transparency” regarding the financial operations of BLMGN; and that “most chapters have received little to no financial support from BLMGN since the launch in 2013.”

“We will move forward with transparency and expound on our collective efforts to seek transparency and organizational unity in a fuller statement in the near future,” the statement continued. “As we collectively determine next steps, we encourage our supporters to donate directly to chapters, who represent the frontline of Black Lives Matter.”

The local chapters signing the statement include Washington, DC, Chicago, Vancouver, Washington, and Philadelphia.

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