Photo by Beth Neely

Protestors hold Black Lives Matter signs while they march around the Courthouse Square June 2.

The Black Lives Matter organization was founded in 2013 in response to the death of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who fatally shot him.

Black Lives Matter Foundation Inc. is a global organization in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes, according to the Black Lives Matter website.

By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.

The organization was founded by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi. The organization outlines its beliefs on its website, blacklivesmatter.com .

Every day, we recommit to healing ourselves and each other, and to co-creating alongside comrades, allies and family a culture where each person feels seen, heard and supported.

We acknowledge, respect and celebrate differences and commonalities, the website states.

The beliefs state that they work for freedom and justice for Black people and, by extension, all people.

We are unapologetically Black in our positioning. In affirming that Black Lives Matter, we need not qualify our position. To love and desire freedom and justice for ourselves is a prerequisite for wanting the same for others, the website states.

Black Lives Matter says that they are part of the global Black family, and are aware of the different ways Black people are impacted depending on where they live.

We are guided by the fact that all Black lives matter, regardless of actual or perceived sexual identity, gender identity, gender expression, economic status, ability, disability, religious beliefs or disbeliefs, immigration status or location, the website states.

The Black Lives Matter organization says they accept transgender people to participate and lead. They also support Black transgender women who are impacted by trans-antagonistic violence.

The organization states they affirm Black women and are free from sexism, misogyny and environments in which men are centered. Black Lives Matter states they practice empathy and its environment is family-friendly.

We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and villages that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents and children are comfortable, the website states.

Christians have spoken out about the organizations belief in a non-nuclear family structure by saying it destroys the idea of a Christian family structure.

Todd Slade, pastor of First Baptist Church of Moreland, brought that statement up at the Pastors and Leaders Lunch Monday.

Slade said while he believes in and preaches that Black lives matter, he doesnt support the organization. He said they are a Marxist organization that believes in the decentralization of family structures.

They dont believe in the nuclear family; they dont have the same beliefs that I do as a pastor and whats going to cure our problem, Slade said.

Black Lives Matter states that it is queer-affirming, and they gather with the intention of freeing themselves from heteronormative thinking. The organization also says they accept people of any age.

We embody and practice justice, liberation and peace in our engagements with one another, the website states.

U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., doubled down Monday at a campaign stop in Cobb County on criticism of the Black Lives Matter protest movement, calling it a political organization promoting violence and anti-Semitism.

They are built on a Marxist foundation and the most socialist principles, Loeffler said of Black Lives Matter Monday, according to the Capitol Beat News Service.

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What is the 'Black Lives Matter' organization? - Newnan Times-Herald

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Black Lives Matter march will wind through Jeannette - TribLIVE

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SLIDESHOW: Back The Blue, Black Lives Matter protests take place in West Peabody - The Salem News

Since George Floyds murder by the police in Minneapolis on May 25th, protests have erupted across the US and spread around the world. As demonstrations continue with no end in sight, many have noted that they are the broadest in U.S. history. After so many weeks of sustained and sometimes disruptive activism, it is impossible to ignore the fact that these protests are different.

RACIAL DIVERSITY

One of the defining characteristics of this heightened contention is the diversity of the participants themselves. Since the beginning of June, my research team and I collected data from protesters in Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, DC. Across all of the cities and four different days of action, the diversity of this movement is noteworthy. Looking at the data, we find 54% of protest participants to be White. These demographics are particularly noteworthy since they are so much more ethnically and racially diverse than the large-scale protests that were seen as the hallmark of progressive activism against President Donald Trump and his policies, which I document in my recent book, American Resistance.

In fact, these protests are more diverse than the March for Racial Justice in fall 2017, as well as the previous moments of protest in the Black Lives Matter movement and the Civil Rights Movement. As sociologist Doug McAdam remarks while looking back over his career studying social movements, We have never seen protests like these before, in turnout, perseverance, and the ethnic and racial diversity of those participating.

THE ROLE OF ORGANIZATIONS

The increased diversity of the crowds in the streets is a very good sign for racial equity in our country. It is due, in part, to progressive groups mobilizing their constituents to join the protests in solidarity. As part of American Resistance, I studied the resistance groups that channeled the outrage in the streets into activism around the mid-term elections in 2018.

In recent weeks, those same Resistance groups have sent out messages of solidarity to their networks. They even encouraged progressive activists to join the protests by providing an onramp to the site that coordinated the actions in honor of the holiday celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the US on June 19th: Juneteenth.

Although these progressive groups have not always focused specifically on the issue of racial justice in America, they have contributed to the turnout in the streets by providing information and opportunities for their networks to be White allies and join the struggle for racial equity as individuals and through organizations.

THE PARTISAN DIVIDE

The shift in support for racial equity can also be seen in public opinion data that have been collected since the protests began after George Floyd was murdered in late May. Pew Research finds that, two-thirds of U.S. adults say they support the movement, including the majorities of Black, White, Latinx, and Asian Americans. These findings are particularly strong for people who identify as Democrats. Our data collected in the streets during these protests also shows a partisan divide in who is turning out to participate, with the overwhelming majority of protesters (80%) identifying as Left-leaning.

Given the partisan divide in perspectives on participation in the protests, there are limited opportunities to channel the outrage in the streets into political gains at the national level using the political levers of legislation or executive order. Instead, the best opportunities for social change happening within the current political system is through the upcoming election in November.

MISSION: ELECTION 2020

Surveys with activists in the streets show that they are eagerly awaiting the 2020 election. Our data find unanimous support for candidate Joe Biden. Beyond voting for a Presidential candidate who is more likely to support policies related to racial equity, there is evidence that the 2020 election will improve representation in the government by electing more progressive candidates of color.

Despite the many reminders of inequality in 2020, the push for racial equity is clearly gathering momentum. Protesters, progressive groups, and candidates demanding justice and fairness together are a powerful force for social change that has potential to make some serious progress in 2020.

Dana R. Fisher is a professor of sociology at the University of Maryland. Her most recent book is American Resistance, which was published by Columbia University Press in November 2019.

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The diversity of the recent Black Lives Matter protests is a good sign for racial equity - Brookings Institution

A Black Lives Matter sign on a University of California at Berkeley fence in Albany was defaced with paint, police said they were told Monday.

Police were told Monday morning that the sign at Marin and San Pablo avenues had been defaced with spray paint.

Albany public works crews took down the sign so the paint could be removed from it. UC Berkeley police were notified because the sign was on university property.

Once the paint is removed from the sign, the sign will be put back up.

"I believe hateful and hurtful acts like this are unacceptable and do not represent the City's values," Albany police Chief John Geissberger said in a statement.

"I understand the harm events like this can have on a community, but I also believe we are a strong community that will reassure our neighbors, business owners and visitors that we care about each other by our daily interactions," he said.

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Black Lives Matter Sign Defaced With Paint in Albany - NBC Bay Area

Black Lives Matter Winston-Salem is calling for all charges against protesters to be dropped. Click the video player above to see WXII 12 News coverage of the protestThe group rallied at the Forsyth County Detention Center on Monday night. They have been gathering there since last week when investigators announced charges in the death of John Neville. READ MORE: North Carolina medical examiner's report reveals more details about John Neville's deathNeville died in December after falling from his bunk bed during a medical emergency. He died from a brain injury due to cardiac arrest caused by being restrained face down by multiple employees at the detention center. On Thursday, Winston-Salem police arrested 15 people and charged them with impeding traffic. Police said they warned the protesters to get out of the road. Officers said when they refused the orders, they arrested the demonstrators. READ MORE: Winston-Salem protesters arrested at rally pushing for release of footage surrounding death of John NevilleFive former correction officers and a nurse are facing charges. Protesters are also calling for transparency and justice in connection to Neville's death.

Black Lives Matter Winston-Salem is calling for all charges against protesters to be dropped.

Click the video player above to see WXII 12 News coverage of the protest

The group rallied at the Forsyth County Detention Center on Monday night. They have been gathering there since last week when investigators announced charges in the death of John Neville.

READ MORE: North Carolina medical examiner's report reveals more details about John Neville's death

Neville died in December after falling from his bunk bed during a medical emergency. He died from a brain injury due to cardiac arrest caused by being restrained face down by multiple employees at the detention center.

On Thursday, Winston-Salem police arrested 15 people and charged them with impeding traffic. Police said they warned the protesters to get out of the road. Officers said when they refused the orders, they arrested the demonstrators.

READ MORE: Winston-Salem protesters arrested at rally pushing for release of footage surrounding death of John Neville

Five former correction officers and a nurse are facing charges.

Protesters are also calling for transparency and justice in connection to Neville's death.

Read more from the original source:

Protesters rally in Winston-Salem to demand charges be dropped against demonstrators arrested - WXII12 Winston-Salem

Our new climate change reporting initiative, By Degrees, begins in an unprecedented time one where people are making seismic shifts in their lifestyles and attitudes in response to COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Many of our listeners have wondered: why havent people reacted the same way to the climate emergency, and could that be about to change?

Listen to the broadcast version of this story from our new climate change reporting initiative.

Get NHPR stories about climate change delivered to your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter today.

Cheri Schmitt is a teacher in Bedford who describes herself as eco-conscious -- she says she and her husband have always tried to recycle and compost. But when they had to start staying home due to COVID-19, they found themselves doing a lot more.

Were being very careful about food waste, because obviously its not like you can just drop everything and run to the grocery store any time you want to," she says.

Driving less, shopping less, finding new ways to reduce disposable paper waste and reuse cloth towels and napkins -- the changes Schmitt made in response to the coronavirus are some of the things scientists say can help reduce the carbon emissions that drive climate change.

Globally, the coronavirus-related shutdowns led to a 17 percent drop in emissions by mid-spring, though that trend has reversed as life has begun to resume.

Still, if lots of people could quickly form new habits like this during the pandemic -- why didn't they do it sooner, knowing the need to act on climate change? Schmitt has an idea:

Well, I think its because unfortunately, thats part of the human condition, you know," she says. "People dont tend to want to focus on something until its in a crisis state.

NHPR is doubling down on covering climate change. You can support this work - make a donation today.

Social scientists say shes right. Independent researcher Susanne Moser with Antioch University in Keene says the way we talk about climate change makes it feel distant, compared to something like the pandemic.

'I have COVID going on right now, I have no job, I have kids to deal with.' I mean, those are the kinds of things that tend to get our attention much more easily," Moser says.

The threat of COVID-19 is immediate and easy to visualize, in that ubiquitous image of the spiky red ball, or in our family and friends, masked or in hospital beds.

There are also clear and impactful ways to show we care and we're taking action -- like wearing masks in public. The urgency of these visuals got policymakers to act relatively quickly and decisively, at least at first.

Climate change, on the other hand, has dawned on us slowly -- through predictions, scenarios, things that can sound hypothetical. Scientists have had to work for decades to get their consensus to sink in: that human activity is causing the problem.

So when you then start a policy, you have to acknowledge that we are actually at fault," Moser says. "That's so not something you want to be caught with as a politician.

By Degrees will answer your questions about climate change in New Hampshire. Click here to share your ideas for our coverage.

Add a dose of economic fear and a powerful competing interest in the fossil fuel industry, and Moser says what might have been a straightforward call to action became political.

Thats actually what she says is happening now in the pandemic. The big changes didn't last states reopened quickly in fear for their economies, only to see COVID-19 cases spike.

This might seem like a bad sign for our ability to sustain climate action over the long-term. But Moser is still hopeful. She says the massive collective actions needed to respond to climate change won't shut down the economy like the pandemic -- instead, they'll create whole new industries and jobs, and make people healthier and safer.

'If fighting climate change requires massive structural change, we've just demonstrated that we can do it.' --Emily Diamond, URI

Emily Diamond studies climate communication at the University of Rhode Island. She's also been watching the response to COVID-19:

If fighting climate change requires massive structural change, we've just demonstrated that we can do it," Diamond says. "Weve also demonstrated that when there's a threat that's urgent enough, we can really open our coffers in the United States in a way that we haven't seen in addressing most other issues -- besides potentially going to war, in the past.

Diamond studies how peoples identities shape their response to climate change. She says people are galvanized by threats to their sense of self, like their livelihood or a place they love.

She thinks shes seeing that dynamic at work in an important way this summer: in the unprecedented number of white people joining people of color in protests over police killings of Black Americans like George Floyd.

Diamond, who is white, guesses that these protesters have probably always thought of themselves as supporters of racial equality -- just as people might identify as eco-conscious.

Right now, she says people are being confronted with stories that make them feel they aren't who they thought they were, and they haven't done enough.

That act of being called out, I think, is something that's really powerfully motivating," she says.

Diamond says this can be applied to climate change -- that people who've felt they cared for a long time, should start to do more.

She thinks this moment is a call not just to individual action, but to structural change -- to confront systemic racism and climate change at the same time.

It's not enough to just carry your reusable bags to the grocery store or maybe sometimes bike to work instead of driving to work," she says. "We have to translate this into pressure to create political will and policy changes.

And these issues are all related. Scientists say climate change and COVID-19 are both disproportionately hurting people of color and low-income communities.

Diamond says she hopes activists, scientists and policymakers will see the links between the crises, and start addressing climate change as a matter of justice.

Original post:

COVID And Black Lives Matter Have Spurred Real Change; Why Can't Climate Change Do The Same? - New Hampshire Public Radio

Beaufort , N.C.

July 6, 2020

TO THE EDITOR:

Black Lives Matter (BLM) really should be re-named to Only Certain Black Lives Matter (OCBLM) because the only time that OCBLM demonstrates, extorts, burns, loots, assaults, and murders is when a white police officer kills an unarmed black man during an arrest since that is when OCBLM can leverage money and publicity from these deaths.

According to the Washington Posts 2018 database, police officers killed nine unarmed black men who were being arrested, and several of those men who died were resisting arrest and assaulting law enforcement officers. That number is nine (9) way below the thousands of blacks killed by other blacks every year.

Clearly, black lives only matter to OCBLM under certain circumstances where OCBLM can get lots of money and publicity, but otherwise, black lives really do not matter much to OCBLM.

Where is the OCBLM outrage and how is OCBLM trying to help and protect black lives in the following situations?

- In Chicago over this 4th of July weekend (Thursday eve. Sunday eve.), 87 blacks were shot including 13 black children, and 17 blacks who were shot died including two black children.

- In New York City over this 4th of July weekend (Friday Sunday), 44 blacks were shot and 11 blacks killed, mostly through gunfire.

- In Atlanta, Austin, Hoover, Alabama, Washington DC, and Greenville, S.C. over this 4th of July weekend, numerous blacks, including many black children were shot, and a large number died.

- In 2016, 89.5% (2,570) of blacks who were murdered were killed by other blacks according to the FBIs 2016 Crime in the United States report. That black on black murder rate will surely be higher this year.

- In 2018, blacks, who are 13% of the US population, were convicted of 53% of the homicides and 60% of the robberies in the U.S .

- In 2018, the black illegitimacy rate is now over 70% according to the Social Capital Project, and in 2018, 65% of black children were being raised in single parent households according to Kids Count Data Center.

- In New York City from 2012-2016, more black babies were aborted (136,426) than black babies being born (118,127) according to the NYC Health Department.

- In the U.S., black women, who are 13% of the female population, have 36% of the abortions according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

- Black children all over the country in inner city union-controlled schools are getting a sub-standard education, and as a result, a substantial number of these black children have a completely inadequate education and are unprepared for a decent job or college.

- In 2017-2018, black children had a lower high school graduation rate (79%) compared to whites (89%), Hispanics (81%), and Asian/Pacific Islanders (92%) according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Where is OCBLM in all this tragedy?

OCBLM ignores all of these issues because there is no money or publicity in them for OCBLM. It is so much easier and more profitable for OCBLM to blame the police and a racist society for all of the black societys problems and to focus on a few black men who were killed by the police, and in doing so, have progressive city council members, mayors, governors, congressmen, senators, and companies groveling on their knees and giving millions of dollars in cold, hard cash to OCBLM.

OCBLM is a fraud. OCBLM is not really doing much of anything to make black lives better. Instead, OCBLM incites riots and encourages violence, arson, and looting to the detriment of the black community, and all the while, OCBLM laughs all the way to the bank.

DEBORAH VAN DYKEN

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Only certain black lives matter - Carolinacoastonline

The Black Lives Matter movement represents hundreds, thousands of years of real pain, Stormzy has told the BBC.

In a short video feature in which the rapper surprised a young fan by painting his bedroom in recognition of his positive behaviour at school, Stormzy said he wanted the movement to show what it means to be black.

Addressing criticisms of the protests and the response that all lives matter, he said: If we werent oppressed, we wouldnt be shouting, we would just be living our lives.

He continued: I want you to understand that were not just crying or just shouting, acting like only black lives matter: that this is a real pain. This aint some sort of trend. This is real life and this has been our reality for hundreds, thousands of years.

He said he had attended the recent London Black Lives Matter protests but hadnt spoken in public. I dont have answers, he said. Were all just standing together and cheering.

Stormzy was participating in a benefit organised by Good Guys Decorating, a social enterprise that dedicates a premium charge made by paying clients to providing free decorating for people in need.

In June, Stormzy announced that he would dedicate 10m over 10 years to black British causes,. He described it as the beginning of a lifetime commitment.

Announcing the plan, he said: I am not the UKs shining example of what supposedly happens when a black person works hard Black people have been playing on an uneven field for far too long and this pledge is a continuation in the fight to finally try and even it.

It follows his creation of a dedicated scholarship fund to send two black UK students to Cambridge every year. Derek Owusu, an author published by Stormzys #Merky Books imprint, recently won the Desmond Elliott prize for the years best debut novel.

Stormzy also explained why he had deleted his social media platforms in February. I dont need to consume that much, he said. I feel like youve got to protect the mental [health].

Join Guardian journalists and guests for a live online event, Black and British: expressions of black masculinity, exploring what it means to navigate modern Britain as a young black man, on Thursday 30 July, 7pm.

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Stormzy on Black Lives Matter: 'If we weren't oppressed, we wouldn't be shouting' - The Guardian

Kevin Cokley, Opinion contributor Published 5:00 a.m. ET July 13, 2020 | Updated 9:25 a.m. ET July 13, 2020

Lawmakers have been trying to pass reparation bills for descendants of slaves. Here's why it's taken so long - and how it might work. USA TODAY

Racial disparities suggest that Black lives really have not mattered. Refusal to even say the words disregards the pain experienced by Black people.

President Donald Trump recently called Black Lives Matter a symbol of hate in response to New York Citys plan to paint Black Lives Matter on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower. Many view this as another attempt by Trump to exploit racial tensions in order to appeal to his base.

But he isnt the only one. Walmart received backlash for selling T-shirts that included the phrases All Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, Irish Lives Matter, and Homeless Lives Matter.

It is curious why such a simple, affirmative, and humane phrase would become so emotionally provocative and politically divisive.

The exploitation of Black Lives Matter, whether for political or economic gain, is another manifestation of what Black studies scholar kihana ross argues is anti-Blackness, societys disdain, disregard and disgust for Black existence.

The Black Lives Matter phrase is intended to affirm the humanity of all Black people in the midst of deadly oppression in a country where long-standing racial disparities would suggest that Black lives really have not mattered. Take for example the following health and criminal justice data:

African Americans have the highest mortality rate for all cancers combined compared with all races, are about50%more likelyto have a stroke compared with whites, and are nearlytwice as likely to diefrom diabetes as whites. African Americans have more than twice the infant mortality rate as whites, and Black mothers are more than twice as likely as white mothers to receive late or no prenatal care.

When it comes to criminal justice disparities, young, unarmed, non-suicidal male victims of fatal use of force are 13 times more likely to be Black than white. Nearly half of the people serving life sentences are African American, and Black people make up nearly42% of death row inmateswhile making up 13.4% of the population.

Black Lives Matter is painted on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower on July 9, 2020, in New York City.(Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP)

These racial disparities and many more exist across education, housing, wealth and poverty. So it should be understandable that the phrase Black Lives Matter is said with such urgency. This is why it is so disturbing when certain elected leaders refuse to even say the words.

When Vice President Mike Pence was asked why he wont say Black Lives Matter, he indicated that he disagrees with what he characterizes as the radical left agenda, insisting he believes that all lives matter. In his mind, simply saying Black Lives Matter is a tacit endorsement of rioting and looting, rather than acknowledgement of the racism and anti-Blackness inherent in the lived experiences of Black people.

Pences rationalization is unconvincing given that Utah Sen.Mitt Romney, a Republican, is willing to march with protesters and say Black Lives Matter. Sadly, the politicization of the words Black Lives Matter has even reached children.

As my 11-year-old was grieving after watching the video of the police officer with his knee pressed into the neck of George Floyd, we had to have the talk one of the most emotional conversations a Black father could have with his Black son. Later, while playing the video game Fortnite with his white friends, one of them mentioned that there were protests on Fortnite related to George Floyds murder. When my son said that Black Lives Matter, one of his friends countered by saying, All Lives Matter. For reasons that my son was not able to fully articulate, his friend's' words upset him very much.

More: Ready to engage in real conversations about racism? Author Latasha Morrison can help.

After helping him to understand why he was feeling upset, my wife contacted his friends parents to express our anger and disappointment that their son would say this to our son. The parents were mortified, and after talking with their son, they wanted to talk with us. They apologized and explained that they had never said those words to their son, and when talking with him, it became apparent that he did not understand how those words could serve to negate or minimize the message of Black Lives Matter.

While a childs utterance of All Lives Mattermay likely be uttered in youthful naivete, I do not extend the same considerations to corporations such as Walmart or politicians such as Pence. The refusal to even say the words Black Lives Matter is a blatant disregard of the pain experienced by Black people and suggests a racial skepticism that will never heal the racial divisions in this country.

Kevin Cokley is the Oscar and Anne Mauzy Regents Professor of Educational Research and Development, professor of African and African Diaspora Studies, and director of the Institute for Urban Policy Research and Analysis at The University of Texas at Austin. He is also a Distinguished Psychologist member of the Association of Black Psychologists.

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We need leaders to affirm that Black Lives Matter, not exploit the phrase to divide us - USA TODAY

As Black Lives Matter murals began to be painted on streets and areas across the nation, people in Worcester began wondering when one in the city would materialize.

Calls were made to City Hall and councilors while others began to find a way to make it happen.

Eventually, through a Facebook page, the community gathered to share ideas, search for volunteers and look for Black and brown artists who could contribute.

Beginning this week, in the area of Major Taylor and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards, a mural will be painted on the streets.

Sean Rose, District 1 City Councilor in Worcester, said those from the Black, Indigenous and people of color communities were all thinking about coming together to do something.

Che Anderson, deputy cultural development officer for the city, said his office along with Mayor Joseph Petty and City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. also received calls from people asking what could be done as people across the country gathered in solidarity against racism and police brutality as protesters called for justice after the deaths of Black people including George Floyd, who was killed after a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes.

Augustus, Petty and Rose discussed the idea of having a mural come to life in the city. The project, however, needed to be led by the community.

Folks were seeing this happening in other cities and said they wanted to help, Anderson said. It kind of grew organically.

Rose and Anderson created a Facebook group so people could share ideas and coordinate volunteers. The group also wanted to have food ready for the volunteers and used the group to receive suggestions of where to buy food from a Black-owned business.

Its just been incredible to see the community come together in the spirit of this mural, Rose said.

The streets will be painted either Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the weather. The city will sweep the area beforehand and provide barricades to seal off the area as the artwork is created.

The area of Major Taylor and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards is a fitting spot for the mural. King was an icon of the civil rights movement and Taylor was a Black cycling superstar who was the world cycling champion in 1899 and American sprint champion in 1900.

The streets are also in a visible part of the city in the heart of downtown.

We really couldnt think of a better place to put it, Rose said. Worcester is certainly a city that appreciates its culture and its diversity and the beauty of people coming together from the BIPOC community to organically create this I think makes it even more special.

For Anderson, he sees the painting of the mural as a way for the community to gather and heal in a time when many people have been separated due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This becomes, for me, a big community rallying opportunity, Anderson said. There is a lot that has happened in our city and around the country, so providing this opportunity for folks to come together and do something powerful that has a message, thats really kind of beautiful.

Murals have been painted across the country. Boston, Dallas, New York, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles are just some of the cities that have Black Lives Matter street murals.

The concept for the artwork in Worcester is still being designed with submissions being looked at by the members of the group.

Em Quiles, president PaLante Latinx Moving Forward, is one member of the group who is working to coordinate volunteers and reaching out to Black and brown artists so they can be part of the project.

She said people from as far as Lawrence and Springfield have volunteered to be a part of the event.

The group is working on putting out a call for donations and volunteers. Rose estimates the project will cost $10,000 to $15,000.

There have already been donations. The United Way of Central Massachusetts has donated $2,500; POW! WOW! Worcester has donated $1,000 and the Committee to Elect Sean Rose has donated $1,000.

Kimberly Salmon, The Hanover Insurance Groups assistant vice president of community relations, has also expressed a commitment to the project.

The DCU Center has agreed to open up the bathroom facilities for volunteers on the day the mural is painted and created.

People wishing to donate to the project can go to this webpage.

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Plan underway for Black Lives Matter mural to be painted on Worcester streets; Mural will be in the Major Tay - MassLive.com

"I ordered the Black Lives Matter Foundation to stop illegally accepting donations that were intended for the #BlackLivesMatter movement. This foundation is not affiliated with the movement, yet it accepted countless donations and deceived goodwill," James tweeted. The Black Lives Matter Foundation is based in California and, according to a 2017 tax filing, seeks to "help bring the police and the community closer together." The organization recently came under scrutiny after news reports that it had solicited donations from people who were given the impression that their money would go to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Ray Barnes, the president and CEO of the foundation, told CNN on Monday night that he has never solicited donations in New York.

"I have never been to New York in the matter of the Black Lives Matter Foundation. We have never solicited any funds from New York. Now, donations have come through charitable organizations. They may have sent us funds that the donor may have been from New York, but it is not because we solicited from New York," Barnes said.

"The funds come to us and they may be from people from New York. I don't know. But we have never solicited any funds from New York," Barnes continued.

In her order, James cited the organization's failure to register and file the appropriate financial documents as the reasons for her action.

"Every organization that seeks to solicit donations from New Yorkers must follow state laws," James said in a news release.

"We will also fight for transparency so that donors' goodwill isn't preyed upon by opportunists. The Black Lives Matter Foundation failed to register or file any financial documents with the state, and therefore has failed to provide New Yorkers with information on how their donations will be used.That's why we are taking action by demanding that the foundation stop soliciting contributions from New Yorkers. I encourage all donors to practice due diligence when giving to charities."

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New York AG says Black Lives Matter Foundation 'not affiliated with the movement' and orders it to stop collecting donations - CNN

It didnt take long. The wheels of the Black Lives Matter movement are already starting to get stuck in the mire of doubt and suspicion. A few short weeks ago, politicians were eager to be photographed taking the knee in solidarity with the movement; now theyre desperate to distance themselves from what the movement demands such as moving funds away from policing and into mental health services and youth work to prevent crime occurring in the first place. After a respectful period during which it would have been tone deaf to object to public support of the cause of the day, the BBC banned its hosts and presenters from wearing Black Lives Matter badges because it is seen as an expression of some sort of political opinion.

Everyone applauds a movement for social justice until it goes too far when it starts making unreasonable demands in the service of its political agenda. This moment, where sympathetic onlookers start shimmying away from their earlier expressions of solidarity, was always inevitable. It is easy to agree that black lives should matter. But it is hard to contemplate all the ways the world needs to change to make them matter and for most people, its simpler to say that the goal is admirable, of course, but that these particular demands from these particular protests at this particular moment are just going too far. We project our failures of imagination on to the movement, and we decamp from the cheerleading stands into the peanut gallery. Defund the police? How about we come up with a less provocative slogan, for a start? These Black Lives Matter protesters, they dont make things easy for themselves, do they?

We tend to think that protest is confrontational, and change is consensual first, a painful moment with marches in the streets and impassioned orations, followed by something less dramatic, a softer path of negotiation and adaptation. But the opposite is true. Protest is the easy bit. More specifically, protest is a smooth part sandwiched between two very rough ones.

Before protest there is a oppression, lack of popular support, and the hard work of awareness-raising. After that comes the high-octane action, the moral clarity and allies hop on board. But once the first blood rush of protest subsides, the people who are still on the streets are mocked by their erstwhile allies, impatient to find fault with the movement and get back to their lives without any further disruption. What was universally celebrated a few weeks ago is now faintly embarrassing: too radical, too combative, almost comically unrealistic. You might think of the trajectory of the Black Lives Matter protests so far as like that famous quote misattributed to Gandhi, but this time in reverse: first you win, then they fight you, then they laugh at you, then they ignore you.

We have a great knack for supporting victims once the injustices are out in the open when David and Goliath have been clearly identified, and a particularly British sensibility of fair play has been assailed. In the Windrush scandal, popular anger and support for the victims of the Home Office is what put a stop to their deportations and led to the resignation of Amber Rudd. National fury, at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, managed to pressure an obstinate, bunkered government into scrapping the outrageous NHS surcharge for NHS staff, and extending residency rights to all the bereaved families of NHS victims of coronavirus. If it hadnt been for Boris Johnsons terror of losing him, the countrys disgust at Dominic Cummings would have turfed him out too, so mortally had he wounded the nations sense of justice.

But when it comes to the underlying injustice to making the links between the deportation and death of a Windrush citizen, the NHS worker impoverished by Home Office fees and unsettled by cruel hostile environment policies, the unelected special adviser breaking lockdown rules, and the political party we keep voting in were not so good.

The same is now happening with the Black Lives Matter movement. Everyone is on board with the principle, but when it comes to the change that is required, the idealistic passengers the movement picked up along the way suddenly come down with a case of extreme pragmatism.

Part of the reason for their belated reluctance is that the course of actual change is unflashy. After the first moment passes, the supportive ally has nothing to show for their continued backing for the cause: there are no public high-fives for your continuing solidarity. You cant post it, you cant hashtag it; most of the time you cant even do it without jeopardising something, whether thats your income, status, job prospects or even friendships.

But the main reason for the ebbing support is that change is just hard. If it wasnt, the long arc of history that allegedly bends towards justice would be a very short one. And change is supposed to be hard. It is supposed to be political.

Movements such as Black Lives Matter arent hobbies or social clubs or edgy pop culture moments to be accessorised with. Change is supposed to have an agenda, otherwise its just a trend. When we hear that liberal politicians think the goals of the Black Lives Matter movement are nonsense, or that wearing a badge is political, or that support needs to be scaled back because it looks like there might be other, more nefarious forces at play, what we are really being told is: this is hard and we are retreating to our comfort zones.

Nesrine Malik is a Guardian columnist

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It seems black lives don't matter quite so much, now that we've got to the hard bit - The Guardian

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has opted not to wear one of the league-approved messages on the back of his jersey as the NBA resumes its season in the Disney World bubble.

Players reportedly will be allowed to change the name on the back of their jersey to direct attention to the Black Lives Matter movement -- a concession the league made to the NBA players association to assuage concerns that the leagues restart from the coronavirus shutdown would distract from the movement against racial inequality that has swept the nation since the death of George Floyd in May. The league and players association agreed on several messages.

James, however, told reporters via Zoom he will not participate in that particular aspect of protests.

It was no disrespect to the list that was handed out to all the players, James said, per ESPN. I commend anyone that decides to put something on the back of their jersey. Its just something that didnt really seriously resonate with my mission, with my goal.

I would have loved to have a say-so on what would have went on the back of my jersey. I had a couple things in mind, but I wasnt part of that process, which is OK. Im absolutely OK with that. ... I dont need to have something on the back of my jersey for people to understand my mission or know what Im about and what Im here to do.

James added that he never felt pressure not to play to keep attention on the protests.

"It never crossed my mind that we did not need to play this beautiful game of basketball that brings so many people together, that brings happiness, that brings joy," James said. "I'm happy to have a platform where not only people will gain joy by the way I play the game, by the way our team plays the game, but for also for what I'm able to do off the court, as well.

Being able to use my platform, use the NBAs platform, to continue to talk about whats going on. Because I will not stop until I see real change for us in Black America, for African Americans, for people of color. And I also believe I can do both, though.

Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, who participated in protests in his hometown of Atlanta following Floyds death, said he initially had concerns that NBA games would take attention away from the protests.

Eventually, he said, he decided the attention could be a good thing for the movement.

I think everybody wants to watch basketball and the NBA, and we have voices of influence in our communities and we have obligations to our communities, not just obligations to our organizations, Brown said. The more the NBA understands that, the better everybody will feel about it, especially players. So I feel that us going down there and making sure nobody gets distracted is part of the initial correspondence. We have to go down there and make sure that people dont forget about GerogeFloyd or Breonna Taylor or Philando Castile or Ahmaud Arbery or Trayvon Martin, which is in the Orlando area. And the list goes on, and the countless other people who were not caught on video who experienced something similar. The bottom line is theres improvements that need to be made, and the NBA has a great voice and a lot of resources and a lot of influence and we are appreciative they are helping in aiding in a lot of the things we care about. So thats really important.

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LeBron James will not wear Black Lives Matter message on back of jersey, will instead wear traditional James - MassLive.com

A loose network of Facebook groups that took root across the country in April to organize protests over coronavirus stay-at-home orders has become a hub of misinformation and conspiracy theories that have pivoted to a variety of new targets. Their latest: Black Lives Matter and the nationwide protests of racial injustice.

These groups, which now boast a collective audience of more than 1 million members, are still thriving after most states started lifting virus restrictions.

And many have expanded their focus.

One group transformed itself last month from "Reopen California" to "California Patriots Pro Law & Order," with recent posts mocking Black Lives Matter or changing the slogan to "White Lives Matter." Members have used profane slurs to refer to Black people and protesters, calling them "animals," "racist" and "thugs" a direct violation of Facebook's hate speech standards.

Others have become gathering grounds for promoting conspiracy theories about the protests, suggesting protesters were paid to go to demonstrations and that even the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police, was staged.

An Associated Press review of the most recent posts in 40 of these Facebook groups most of which were launched by conservative groups or pro-gun activists found the conversations largely shifted last month to attacking the nationwide protests over the killing of Black men and women after Floyd's death.

Facebook users in some of these groups post hundreds of times a day in threads often seen by members only and shielded from public view.

"Unless Facebook is actively looking for disinformation in those spaces, they will go unnoticed for a long time and they will grow," said Joan Donovan, the research director at the Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy. "Over time, people will drag other people into them and they will continue to organize."

Facebook said it is aware of the collection of reopen groups, and is using technology as well as relying on users to identify problematic posts. The company has vowed in the past to look for material that violates its rules in private groups as well as in public places on its site. But the platform has not always been able to deliver on that promise.

Shortly after the groups were formed, they were rife with coronavirus misinformation and conspiracy theories, including assertions that masks are "useless," the U.S. government intends to forcibly vaccinate people and that Covid-19 is a hoax intended to hurt President Donald Trump's re-election chances this fall.

Posts in these private groups are less likely to be scrutinized by Facebook or its independent fact-checkers, said Donovan. Facebook enlists media outlets around the world, including The Associated Press, to fact check claims on its site. Members in these private groups have created an echo chamber and tend to agree with the posts, so are therefore less likely to flag them for Facebook or fact-checkers to review, Donovan added.

At least one Facebook group, ReOpen PA, asked its 105,000 members to keep the conversation focused on reopening businesses and schools in Pennsylvania, and implemented rules to forbid posts about the racial justice protests as well as conspiracy theories about the efficacy of masks.

But most others have not moderated their pages as closely.

For example, some groups in New Jersey, Texas and Ohio have labeled systemic racism a hoax. A member of the California Facebook group posted a widely debunked flyer that says "White men, women and children, you are the enemy," which was falsely attributed to Black Lives Matter. Anotherfalsely claimedthat a Black man was brandishing a gun outside the St. Louis mansion where a white couple confronted protesters with firearms. Dozens of users in several of the groups have pushed anunsubstantiated theorythat liberal billionaire George Soros is paying crowds to attend racial justice protests.

Facebook members in two groups Wisconsinites Against Excessive Quarantine and Ohioans Against Excessive Quarantine also regularly refer to protesters as "animals," "thugs," or "paid" looters.

In the Ohio group, one user wrote on May 31: "The focus is shifted from the voice of free people rising up against tyranny ... to lawless thugs from a well known racist group causing violence and upheaval of lives."

Those two pages are part of a network of groups in Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania created by conservative activist Ben Dorr, who has for years raised money to lobby on hot-button conservative issues like abortion or gun rights. Their latest cause pushing for governors to reopen their states has attracted hundreds of thousands of followers in the private Facebook groups they launched.

Private groups that balloon to that size, with little oversight, are like "creepy basements" where extremist views and misinformation can lurk, said disinformation researcher Nina Jankowicz, a fellow at the nonpartisan Wilson Center, a Washington, D.C., think tank.

"It's sort of a way that the platforms are enabling some of the worst actors to stay on it," said Jankowicz. "Rather than being de-platformed they can organize."

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Lockdown-focused Facebook groups pivot to attacks on Black Lives Matter - CNBC

The Boise Police Department has identified several suspects in connection with batteries and other misdemeanor crimes committed during a Black Lives Matter/Defund the Police protest in late June, and forwarded those cases to prosecutors, the department announced July 10.

On June 30, members of the Black Lives Matter movement gathered at Boise City Hall to call on Mayor Lauren McLean and the Boise City Council to replace the city's armed police force with an unarmed alternative. Scarcely had that protest begun, however, when a large group of counter-demonstrators, including a contingent of white supremacists, arrived to show their support of the police.

Though many of the counter-demonstrators remained peaceful, others attempted to disrupt the BLM protest and instigated several fights that resulted in minor injuries. Though Boise Police arrived on the scene in riot gear, no arrests were made on the scene.

Following the events of June 30, BPD began investigating possible misdemeanor crimes in relation to the protest. The identities of the suspects have not been released to the public, though BPD did say that some victims came forward, assisting in the investigations.

The next BLM/Defund the Police demonstration will take place on Tuesday, July 21, at Boise City Hall. Looking ahead to that event and the likely presence of counter-demonstrators, BPD issued the following statement:

"Boise police remind those going to future protests that officers will work to stop violence of any kind, as well as property damage. We will also work to hold those responsible for any violent act or vandalism accountable under the laws of the State of Idaho and City of Boise. We strive to protect everyones right to peacefully assemble and exercise their first amendment rights.This includes working with any and all protest organizers to facilitate these rights, while remaining neutral on the various political issues. Our biggest priority is to create a safe place for all who intend to peacefully exercise their rights and we do not condone violence by any party in these demonstrations."

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Boise Police Identify Suspects in Batteries Committed During July 2 Black Lives Matter/Defund the Police Protest - Idaho Press-Tribune

Simone Biles has said she believes the Black Lives Matter protests are the start of change.

The Olympic gymnast and gold medal winner, who is American Vogues digital cover star for its August 2020 issue, opened up to the magazine about everything from competing in sport to body image and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Speaking about how she first became interested in competing in gymnastics at a professional level, Biles said she did not see many other black gymnasts as a child, adding that a key moment for her was watching Gabby Douglas at the 2012 Olympics.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

Growing up, I didnt see very many black gymnasts, the 23-year-old said. So whenever I did, I felt really inspired to go out there and want to be as good as them.

I was like, If she can do it, I can do it.

Biles also spoke about the recent Black Lives Matter protests that have spread across the world, saying: We need change. We need justice for the black community.

With the peaceful protests its the start of change, but its sad that it took all of this for people to listen.

Biles continued: Racism and injustice have existed for years with the black community. How many times has this happened before we had cell phones?

Its working. You just have to be the first and people will follow.

(Annie Leibovitz, Vogue)

The sportswoman went on to discuss Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical technician who was killed in March by police after the officers entered her apartment with a no-knock search warrant.

Biles said she was happy that Breonnas case was being reopened, saying: Breonna will be remembered. Shes going to find justice.

(Annie Leibovitz, Vogue)

Later in the interview, Biles, who should currently be in Tokyo preparing for the 2020 summer Olympics, which had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, also opened up about the negative comments she has received about her body throughout her career, explaining that while she enjoys gymnastics, she does not approve of the beauty competition that comes with it.

No matter how good you are in your sport, in life, in work, the number one thing people talk about is how you look, she said, adding that when she first began training to become a gymnast she frequently read negative comments about the way she looks.

They focused on my hair. They focused on how big my legs were, Biles said.

God made me this way, and I feel like if I didnt have these legs or these calves, I wouldnt be able to tumble as high as I can and have all of these moves named after me.

Biles urged girls and women wanting to get into sport to ignore such negativity, saying: Youre still going to thrive. Youre going to become somebody amazing and great.

You guys are all beautiful, inside and out.

Vogues August 2020 issue is available on newsstands nationwide on 21 July.

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Olympic gymnast Simone Biles says Black Lives Matter protests are the start of change: Its sad it took all of this for people to listen - The...

BEREA, Ky. (LEX 18) More than 150 people gathered in Berea Saturday afternoon for a march in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

The protest began at 2 p.m. with speeches from local leaders including Berea City Councilwoman Emily LaDouceur and State Representative Attica Scott.

The march was organized by Berea College students. The event was canceled last week because of poor weather, but crowds made their presence known Saturday as they chanted down the city streets.

The march began at Union Church on 200 Prospect St. Demonstrators marched down Chestnut St demanding an end to systemic racism in the United States and justice for Breonna Taylor and victims of police brutality.

The protest ended back at Union Church where the event concluded with students reading anonymously submitted testimonies of peoples experiences with racism in Kentucky.

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Demonstrators gather in Berea to march in solidarity for Black Lives Matter movement - LEX18 Lexington KY News

TOPLINE

A Black Lives Matter mural outside of Chicago was painted over to read "All Lives Matter" earlier this week, the latest occurrence of what has become a nationwide trend in recent weeks of vandals defacing similar BLM murals, as the U.S. painfully comes to terms with an evolving public dialogue centered around racism following the death of George Floyd.

NEW YORK, USA - JUNE 15: An aerial view of 'Black Lives Matter' mural painting is seen on Fulton ... [+] Street in Brooklyn, New York City, United States on June 15, 2020. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A portion of a street mural, which had been completed just two weeks ago in Oak Park (an Illinois neighborhood north of Chicago), was vandalized overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

Overnight Monday into Tuesday, in Martinez, California, local police opened an investigation after "White Lives Matter" was illegally painted onto a roadway.

Just three days earlier in Martinez, a couple (who would later be charged with a hate crime) was filmed vandalizing a city-approved Black Lives Matter mural, located outside a courthouse.

On Monday, state police in Vermont informed the Attorney General's Office that two Black Lives Matter roadway murals and a "Black Trans Lives Matter" mural were defaced.

Last month in Baltimore, chalk messages written by elementary students on their school's walls in support of the Black Lives Matter movement were power-washed away by adults.

Tire marks were left across a Black Lives Matter mural in uptown Charlotte in early June.

Black Lives Matter originated in 2013, but according to recent polling data, there has been a significant shift in how American citizens view the movement. A Pew Research survey last month found that roughly 67% of U.S. adults support the BLM movement, with 38% saying they strongly support it. In early June, a Monmouth University poll found that 76% of Americans now consider racism and discrimination a "big problem," whereas only half the country agreed with that sentiment as recently as five years ago. According to data analyzed by the New York Times, "about 15 million to 26 million people in the United States participated in demonstrations over the death of George Floyd and others in recent weeks. These figures would make the recent protests the largest movement in the country's history."

Last week, President Trump inflamed tensions on both sides of the debate when he declared that a "Black Lives Matter" mural painted on a New York City street would be "a symbol of hate." In a series of tweets, Trump added that painting a "big, expensive, yellow Black Lives Matter sign on Fifth Avenue" (which, coincidentally, is home to his flagship building, Trump Tower) would denigrate the street. Nonetheless, the mural was completed Thursday afternoon.

"The president is a disgrace to the values we cherish in New York City," Julia Arredondo, a spokeswoman for NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio, said earlier this month. "He can't run or deny the reality we are facing, and anytime he wants to set foot in the place he claims is his hometown, he should be reminded that Black lives matter."

Trump Calls Planned Black Lives Matter Sign By Trump Tower A Symbol Of Hate (Fobes)

Vandals alter Black Lives Matter mural outside of Chicago to say 'All Lives Matter' (Fox News)

BLM MuralDecried By President As A Symbol Of HateGoes Up Outside Trump Tower (Forbes)

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Black Lives Matter Murals Are Being Defaced In Cities Throughout The Country - Forbes

A mural with the words Black Lives Matter will soon emblazon Manhattans Fifth Avenue, right in front of one specific landmark: Trump Tower.

On Thursday morning, work crews blocked off traffic between 56th and 57th streets. Groups of painters then used rollers to start filling in large yellow letters on the pavement.

President Trump derided the mural plan last week, saying it would be denigrating this luxury Avenue and antagonize the citys police as a symbol of hate.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio responded: Black people BUILT 5th Ave and so much of this nation. Your luxury came from THEIR labor, for which they have never been justly compensated. We are honoring them. The fact that you see it as denigrating your street is the definition of racism.

The new artwork takes a cue from another mural at Trumps doorstep.

In early June, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser had the words Black Lives Matter painted in huge yellow letters on the street that leads to the White House. Local activists soon added the words Defund The Police.

Across New York City, Black Lives Matter murals have been painted on the streets. One in bright yellow in Bedford Stuyvesant. A colorful, eclectic one in Lower Manhattan. In Harlem, a multicolored mural that spans both sides of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard.

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NYC Begins Painting Black Lives Matter Mural In Front Of Trump Tower | 90.1 FM WABE - WABE 90.1 FM