The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation held a media roundtable on Thursday to address concerns after The Associated Press released a 63-page 990 Form — filed by the foundation to the IRS — which specified how donations were spent within the organization between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. The form, which most tax-exempt companies use to give the IRS an overview of the organization’s activities, further revealed that the BLM foundation was the largest Black abolitionist nonprofit organization that has ever existed in the nation’s history.
Three of its leaders, Cicley Gay, Shalomyah Bowers, and D’Zhane Parker were present for the meeting to go over the organizational finances and how funds were distributed, after it was revealed how Damon Turner – the father of Patrisse Cullors’ son, earned close to $1 million for putting together live events, while her brother Paul Cullors was paid $840,000, for providing the foundation with security services, something BLM says they will continue to pay for. “He still does currently serve as the organization’s head of security. The concept of having people you know and trust and have done work with in the past as employees or vendors and consultants within an organization or just on your team is not new,” Shalomyah said, per Yahoo.
He also explained why his consulting firm had received $2 million from the foundation, as revealed in tax documents, which he had regarded as a typical business procedure, adding, “Less than 10% [of the $79 million raised] were dedicated to overhead and operational expenses, which is in stark contracts to the 30% in overhead costs from organizations that get A ratings from nonprofit watchdog organizations like GuideStar.” Shalomyah remained adamant that despite the media controversy, the foundation had spent a significant amount giving back to the community, including grants paid to other BLM chapters, while also issuing payments to family foundations in the amount of nearly $3 million.
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“Over $25 million has been reinvested into the Black community; that broken down represents over $10 million in grants to Black-led frontline organizations, truly doing the work of abolition on the ground. Over $13 million in grants [has gone] to Black Lives Matter chapters. Nearly $3 million have gone out in grants to impacted family foundations. $3 million has gone out directly for relief to Black people who were struggling during COVID when the administration was providing stimulus checks.”
During the roundtable meeting, it was Cicley who touched on the $6 million Los Angeles home Patrisse Cullors had spent, which she previously said was only used for matters concerning the foundation, though she later admitted that she did hold a handful of parties at the property, including one for her son’s birthday and another to celebrate President Biden’s inauguration in January 2021.
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According to Cicley, the mansion serves its purpose for the “Black Joy Creators Fellowship,” allowing the BLM Global Network Foundation to hold its own housing and studio space for recipients in service to Black culture.
“The intention is that Black creatives will have an opportunity to launch online content,” they added. After being quizzed on whether the property was currently being used by any board member, the BLM leaders said it wasn’t, emphasizing that while Patrisse is no longer tied to them, she is “always honored as a movement founder” but no longer holds any legal connection to the organization itself. “We as the three board members are leading the foundation.”