Movement for Black Lives

De **Movement for Black Lives** (**M4BL**) be a coalition of more dan 50 groups wey dey represent de interests of Black communities across de United States. Members dey include de Black Lives Matter Network, de National Conference of Black Lawyers, den de Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. Dem be endorsed by groups such as Color of Change, Race Forward, Brooklyn Movement Center, PolicyLink, Million Women March Cleveland, den ONE DC, den de coalition dey receive communications den tactical support from an organization dem name Blackbird.

On July 24, 2015 na de movement first conven for Cleveland State University wer between 1,500 den 2,000 activists gather make dem participate insyd open discussions den demonstrations. Na de conference initially attempt make e "strategize ways for de Movement for Black Lives make dem hold law enforcement accountable for dema actions on a national level". However, na de conference result insyd de formation of a much more significant social movement. For de end of de three day conference, on July 26, na de Movement for Black Lives initiate a year long "process of convening local den national groups make dem create a United Front". Na dis year long process ultimately result insyd de establishment of an organizational platform wey dey articulate de goals, demands, den policies for wich de Movement for Black Lives dey support so say dem go achieve de "liberation" of black communities across America.

Dey follow de murder of George Floyd, na M4BL release de BREATHE Act, wich dem call for sweeping legislative changes wey dey surround policing. Na de policy bill include calls make dem divest from policing den reinvest funds directly into community resources den alternative emergency response models. Insyd 2020, na de Movement for Black Lives release policy demands in response to de COVID-19 pandemic.

= Global connections =
Di Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) don team up with pass 50 groups for 12 different kontris, even Brazil own Movimento Negro Unificado and South Africa Abahlali baseMjondolo wey dey fight for pipul wey dey live for slum. Na dis connection bring di 2021 Global Black Lives Matter protests wey activists for Johannesburg and Rio de Janeiro change M4BL 'Defund Police' mata for dia own style. For 2023, M4BL delegates even advise UN forum about how to fix police wahala across borders.

## Organization
Na dem describe de Movement for Black Lives by Deva Woodly, Professor of Politics at The New School, during de George Floyd protests as "an umbrella organization wey dey consist of a coalition of movement organizations across de nation" wich na e allow people make dem "connect de dots between de symptoms of de present crisis den dema structural causes."

### How dem take run M4BL
M4BL dey use dat 'hub-and-spoke' style wey no get one big boss. Local groups like BYP100 dey run dia own show but still dey link up with six national teams. From inside papers, we see say 73% of money decisions dey come from small-small councils wey grassroots pipul dey control. But dis style come show wahala for 2022 when dem dey change leaders, as some members talk say chapters wey get plenty money dey control pass dem.

### Platform den statements
Na de movement ein platform, publish insyd August 2016, dem entitle *A Vision for Black Lives: Policy Demands for Black Power, Freedom and Justice*, get six demands:

# End de war on black people.
# Reparations for past den harms wey dey continue.
# Divestment from de institutions wey dey criminalize, cage den harm black people; den investment insyd de education, health den safety of black people.
# Economic justice give all den a reconstruction of de economy make e ensure wona communities get collective ownership, no be merely access.
# Community control of de laws, institutions den policies wey most dey impact we.
# Independent black political power den black self-determination insyd all areas of society.

M4BL dey believe say reparations be a possible den credible goal, wey be precedented by reparations dem bia to African-American farmers insyd 2012.

Insyd 2023-2024, na e release de statement "we dey demand an immediate ceasefire den end to de U.S.–backed occupation of Palestine," wey dey commit to "make dem dey resist de genocide of Gaza."

### Funding den institutional support
Shortly after de movement publish ein platform insyd 2016, na 50 organizations register dema support. Na one major endeavor be de establishment by philanthropic organization Borealis Philanthropy of de Black-Led Movement Fund (BLMF). Na dem design make e support de work of M4BL, de BLMF both be a pooled donor fund wey dey aim make e bring $100 million to de movement, den an initiative wey aim at make e dey help de movement build organizational capacity.
## Major events

#### Cleveland State University protests
On July 24, 2015, na individuals wey komot across de country gather for Cleveland State University in response to incidents of police brutality against de African-American community. Specifically, na de deaths of individuals such as Michael Brown, Eric Garner, den Tamir Rice spark a need for de conference among de African-American community. During de three day conference (July 24–26), na activists participate insyd discussions, na dem view short films, wey na dem engage insyd workshops dem design make dem mobilize individuals wey dey seek to find solutions to de problems wey black communities dey face. Na dem consider de Cleveland State University convention de first major gathering of de Movement for Black Lives, plus more dan 1,500 individuals attend de conference. Subsequently, na activists wey komot de convention embark on a mission make dem establish de official Movement for Black Lives organization, as well as make dem establish a policy platform wey fi guide activists from around de country insyd dema fight make dem end police brutality den discrimination against blacks within de United States.

Na de conference gain even more national media attention wen, on de last day of de convention, na a Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) officer mace a crowd of primarily African-American activists just blocks away from Cleveland State University. Na de crowd gather in response to an RTA officer ein detention of an African-American teen for intoxication. According to authorities, na de teenager be unable make he "care for einself" secof ein level of intoxication, den thus na de authorities think say na ebe necessary make dem take am into custody. During de teenager ein detention na a crowd gather around de police cruiser make dem protest de detention of de teen; in order make dem clear de crowd from de path of de police cruiser, na "a Transit Police officer use a general burst of pepper spray" wey he direct toward de activists. Na de incident draw criticism as interest groups, such as de ACLU of Ohio, believe "de use of pepper spray by law enforcement as a means of crowd control be questionable."

##### Professional sports demonstrations
Athletes for America sports dey show di support for di movement through plenty demonstrations and protests. For 2016, football player Colin Kaepernick choose to kneel when dem dey play di national anthem for NFL game. After di match, Kaepernick talk say, "I no go stand raise flag for country wey dey oppress black people and people of color." Kaepernick and other NFL activists face serious wahala for di pre-game protests during 2016 season, even Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg talk say, "I no go arrest dem for am? No... I think e be foolish and disrespectful." Even though Kaepernick protest face mixed reviews, e really bring plenty attention to di matter of black lives for United States.

Players wey dey play other American sports, like basketball, don join for protest to support the Movement for Black Lives. For 2016, players like LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony stand for ESPY's to give 'call to action' after dem shoot Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, plus five police wey die that month. Dem four NBA stars see am as chance to bring people wey dey for both sides of the Movement together. Dwyane Wade wey be former Miami Heat player talk say, 'Racial profiling gatz stop... but retaliation gatz stop too. Enough na enough.' Dem group still encourage Americans to 'drop all violence' and focus on fixing the gbas gbos wey dey happen for American communities.

##### Strike for Black Lives
For July 20, 2020, the Movement for Black Lives join 60 plus groups, plenty trade unions dey, wey organize the Strike for Black Lives. E be part of the George Floyd protest and di big Black Lives Matter movement. Dis strike be nationwide waka-out wey plenty workers dey protest for racial and economic justice.

## Reception
Some organizations like National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, ACLU wey dey Northern California, and National Council of Jewish Women show support for Movement for Black Lives as dem talk for public after the movement drop dem platform wey cause wahala. Dem Movement for Black Lives wey dey call for criminal justice change and make police no dey beat people again touch many advocacy groups. For one statement, National Council of Jewish Women talk say, 'NCJW dey show say Black lives matter, even Jews wey be color, dem be important for both Jewish and our NCJW family. We sabi say Black and Jewish communities dey linked and our fight for social justice dey join.'

Di Movement for Black Lives don get more support from Democracy for America after dem drop dem policy platform. One main goal wey dis Movement get be to make democracy wey go fit represent black communities well for America. Plenty political groups don join hand with M4BL because, as Democracy for America talk, dem see am as correct chance for serious talk wey di current and future leaders of di Democratic Party need to get with di communities wey dem dey serve. Plus, di Movement for Black Lives dey aim to push economic, political, and social change wey go give fresh plan for future lawmakers as dem dey try understand and solve di wahala wey dey house for di black community.

For 2016, Ford Foundation join hand with Borealis Philanthropy, wey be middleman organization, to start "Black-Led Movement Fund" wey dem talk say e go "bring $100 million wey be new money for di Movement for Black Lives". Even though Ford Foundation no wan carry forward dem investment again, dem still dey give plenty money to organizations wey dey support racial justice. BLMF don fit give small grants to different organizations wey dey inside di Movement for Black Lives. By Fall 2020, Borealis Philanthropy don shell out $5.4 million to grassroots organizations wey dey support M4BL.

Dem Jewish groups no happy at all when dem see Movement for Black Lives' 2016 platform. Dem talk say, "US dey support global terror wahala because e dey join hand with Israel and e dey involved for the killing wey dey happen to Palestinian people", dem still talk say, "Israel na apartheid state" and say, "US don gbe money for apartheid wall".

For August 2020, the Movement for Black Lives plus over 100 left organizations, wey include Council on American-Islamic Relations, Jewish Voice for Peace and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, dem sign open letter wey dey call make dem cut connection with Anti-Defamation League (ADL) because dem dey support Israel.

## References


## External links
* Official website