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Black Lives Matter (BLM) addressed the organization’s secret purchase of a posh Southern California home with $5.8 million in donated funds. The entity defended the purchase and vowed to “increase transparency.”
“Despite past efforts, BLMGNF recognizes that there is more work to do to increase transparency and ensure transitions in leadership are clear,” BLM wrote on its official Twitter account.
It further added: “We are redoubling our efforts to provide clarity about BLMGNF’s work. In the coming weeks, we will unveil new initiatives to increase transparency and accountability, and to continue reshaping what radical philanthropy looks like for Black people.”
BLM explains the house was purchased to provide a space for “Black folks to share their gifts with the world and hone their craft as they see fit, under the conditions that work best for them and outside systems of oppression in creative industries.”
BLM justified the expenditure by explaining that more than $3 million has been allocated in social grants for families affected by COVID-19. “Over the last several months, BLMGNF has provided $3 million dollars in direct support to families struggling to navigate the impacts of COVID.”
The house purchased by BLM
The situation arises after the media reported that the organization bought a luxurious mansion in Southern California for about $6 million from donations. The first media outlet to report it was New York Magazine.
An article published by El American explained that Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Melina Abdullah, three leaders of the leftist organization, recorded a video outside the property last June to mark the anniversary of George Floyd’s death.
The media outlet detailed that the luxury property, which features more than six bedrooms and bathrooms, fireplaces, a swimming pool, and parking for more than 20 cars, concentrated on 6,500 square feet of land, was purchased by BLM in October 2020, two weeks after the organization received nearly $67 million in donations.
“In the first instance, the sale was made in the name of Dyane Pascall, finance manager of the consulting firm that Patrisse Cullors operates with his wife, Janaya Khan, and was subsequently transferred to another company in Delaware whose owner is unknown,” comments El American.
Finally, despite the unrelated issues, Black Lives Matter asserted that it demands “a full investigation, after the attempted coup on Jan. 6, into the ties between white supremacy and the Capitol Police, law enforcement, and the military.”
