On this episode of Broke-ish, Amber and Erika are discussing how not all skinfolk are kinfolk in Black social justice circles. It gets a bit messy as we call out some of your faves and interrogate whether they do more harm than good elevating the stories of victims of police brutality. We question the motives and methods of well-known activists and try to figure out where all the Black Lives Matter money is. Take a listen to the episode to hear what we’re talking about!

Homework

1. Tell us a Black woman who could have raised and lost as much money as Shaun King without being in jail.
2. Read (okay heavy skim) the Black Lives Matter 2020 Impact Statement (especially if you’ve donated money to either the national organization or any local chapters) – yes, it’s 42 pages, but truthfully, this movement belongs to all of us, and we all should be invested in knowing how to both celebrate the wins and hold the movement accountable for doing what it says it will do.
3. After you finish, comment on IG and Facebook what you think about the report – the level of transparency, financial disclosures, stated goals, etc. Share your thoughts with your Broke-ish family so we can keep the conversation going online.
   

Receipts

BLACK LIVES MATTER 2020 IMPACT REPORT 
Author:  Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
Date:  2020

Shaun King Keeps Raising Money, and Questions About Where It Goes (thedailybeast.com) 
Author: Kali Holloway
Date:  May 26, 2020

Shaun King threatens to sue activists who accused him on Twitter of mishandling fundraisers (washingtonpost.com)
Author: Meagan Flynn
Date:  Jan 18, 2019

To Activists and Advocates: Turn Away from Shaun King (medium.com)
Author: Juwan J. Holmes
Date:  Aug 17, 2019

PATRISSE KHAN-CULLORS STEPS DOWN FROM LEADERSHIP ROLE AT BLACK LIVES MATTER (blackenterprise.com)
Author: Jeroslyn Johnson
Date:  May 28, 2021

BLM CO-FOUNDER PATRISSE KHAN-CULLORS UNDER FIRE FOR PURCHASING MILLION-DOLLAR HOMES IN WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS (blackenterprise.com) 
Author: Jeroslyn Johnson
Date:  Apr 12, 2021

Civil Rights Attorney Lee Merritt Again Accused of Practicing Texas State Law Without a License (nbcdfw.com)
Author:  Alice Barr
Date:  Oct 1, 2018

Attorney Lee Merritt joins race for Texas attorney general (apnews.com)
Author:  JAMIE STENGLE
Date:  Jul 13, 2021

Lee Merritt, attorney at the heart of Amber Guyger case, wants to ‘change the culture of policing’ (washingtonpost.com)
Author:  Derek Hawkins
Date:  Oct 1, 2019

Black Lives Matter: decentralised leadership and the problems of online organising (theconvesation.com)
Author:  Ashley Cole
Date: Jul 15, 2020  

Stop Hustling Black Death. Samaria Rice is the mother of Tamir, not a “mother of the movement.” (thecut.com)
Author:  Imani Perry
Date:  May 24, 2021

Samaria Rice rebukes Tamika Mallory, others ‘benefitting off the blood’ of police brutality victims (Cleveland.com)
Author: Troy L. Smith
Date:  Mar 16, 2021

Black Lives Matter power grab sets off internal revolt (politico.com)
Author: Maya King
Date: Dec 10, 2020

Tamir Rice’s Mother Blasts Shaun King for Fundraising Off Son’s Death: ‘You Are an Imposter’ (newsweek.com)
Author:  KATHERINE FUNG
Date:  Jun 23, 2021

An Open Letter From Former Directors of Justice Together (medium.com)
Authors: The 30 Former Justice Together Directors Who Signed The Open Letter
Date:  Nov 13, 2015

Growing List Of Shaun King’s Nicknames That Have Gone Viral (newsone.com)
Author: A. Woods
Date:  Aug 26, 2020