When BLM shelled out $6 million dollars for a compound in California, it created quite a controversy. There was speculation that the property was purchased to benefit the leaders of BLM. Now, in an interview with BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors, she has admitted to using the property twice to throw private parties totally unrelated to BLM. She now says that was probably a mistake. Do you think?
BLM leaders ultimately purchased a $6 million compound in Los Angles, which has continued to spark criticism:
Recent disclosures that the foundation had paid $6 million for a Los Angeles compound in 2020 unleashed a torrent of criticism and social media chatter. The property in Studio City — including a home with six bedrooms and bathrooms, a swimming pool, a sound stage and office space — is meant to be both a meeting venue and a campus for Black artists.
Some criticism came from BLM supporters like Justin Hansford, director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University. He said the property purchase could be weaponized by movement opponents, leading possible donors to shy away from Black-led social justice organizations: “That’s the thing that you don’t want to get out of hand.”
Cullors told the AP:
“We really wanted to make sure that the global network foundation had an asset that wasn’t just financial resources. And we understood that not many black-led organizations have property. They don’t own their property.”
One of those events took place in January 2021, when she said she sought refuge after threats were made on her life. I know when my life is threatened I throw lavish parties on a property I don’t own, how about you? Throwing a party is a great way to make sure you don’t attract attention from those meaning to do you harm.
Two months later, Cullors threw her son a birthday party at the BLM property, but she told the outlet “she intended to pay a rental fee to the foundation.”
“I look back at that and think, that probably wasn’t the best idea,” she said.
However, she maintained that, as a whole, she did not misuse BLM funds.
“The idea that (the foundation) received millions of dollars and then I hid those dollars in my bank account is absolutely false,” she told the outlet
“That’s a false narrative. It’s impacted me personally and professionally, that people would accuse me of stealing from black people,” she added.
If you meant to pay a rental fee, why didn’t you? You had enough money to shell out $3.2 million for three properties, so how much would the fee have cost you?
