Black Lives Matter Leeds

#BlackLivesMatter Leeds #itstopstoday Leeds appreciates your support of the ongoing fight to end state-sanctioned violence, liberate Black people and end white supremacy forever. Founded in the US in 2013 a response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. This movement has moved beyond the narrow nationalism, spreading across the world. The essential mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence and injustices inflicted on the Black communities by states and vigilantes. Combating and countering acts of violence, creating a safe space for Black imagination, innovation, progress and self-dependence. Aiming to focus our actions to improve Black joy and ensure immediate improvements in our communities and subsequently our lives. We are a collective of liberators across the gender spectrum who believe in an inclusive and spacious movement. We also believe that in order to win, we must bring as many people with us along the way, including the LGBTQ+ community, disabled, undocumented, those with records and all Black lives. We must ensure we are building a movement that brings all of us to the front transparently, safely and healing for communities. The call for Black lives to matter is a rallying cry for ALL Black lives striving for liberation. The recent horrors including Breonna Taylor shot eight times in an attempted drug sting two months ago. The inhumane killing of George Floyds watched buy millions all over the world. Has given us a front seat of how the violence is systematic, deep rooted in hate and racism. Only action is needed at this point. Let’s reverse the lenses and look at our own structures and systems. The last time a police officer was successfully prosecuted in the UK concerning the death of somebody in custody was in 1969. That year, two Leeds city police officers were involved in the death of David Oluwale, a homeless British-Nigerian man who they had repeatedly targeted in an attempt to drive him out of the city. In 2017, the Lammy Review showed that while black people comprise 3% of the overall population in England and Wales, they currently make up 12% of its prison population. The percentage of black people in Britain who are in prison is higher than the corresponding figure in the US. We are locking more of our black people away than the big, bad USA. The numbers get worst when you consider younger inmates specifically: 48% of under 18s in custody are from black or other ethnic minority backgrounds. Over 1700 people have died in police custody since 1990, the most violent examples being black men. We are facing a pandemic, with statistics showing that we are over 2x more likely to die from Covid 19 than any other race and we are yet to receive any guidelines from the NHS/government. Our folks are THE FRONTLINE workers most affected. 14 to 16 weeks on the government is yet to provide sufficient PPE. They are risking their lives once again to save the nation but who has their back? Black communities are decimated by the hostile environment policies, the Windrush Scandal was the tip of the iceberg. This is racism. Black workers are paid up to 20% less than their white counterparts: that is the racial wage, and part of the cost of being black and brown in Britain. This is racism. The UK Taxpayer was paying for the Reparations of UK slave owners up until 2015, as reported by the Bank of England. If it was possible for Reparations to be given to slave owners and their families, including David Cameron’s, then the reparations of black people dealing with generational trauma and institutional racism is wholly possible. The redistribution of wealth is a key factor of allyship in 2020. How we’ll spend the funds! We currently have a strong platform with over 600 volunteers, over 7.5k follower on Instagram and a strong steer group. We’ll use Participatory Action Research methodologies to work with the community to identify solutions to our issues and action permanent corrective solutions. • We’ll work toward raising the profile of BlackLivesMatter Leeds, through peaceful protests, campaigning and strong focus on policy and law to induce long lasting structural change. • Dedicate to support existing community led organisations – we appreciate you and here for you • Work at strategic level with businesses and organisations to improve black lives. Help reduce the socio and economic gap still in our communities. • Developing and delivering training workshops • Police monitoring. Working alongside existing anti-racist organisations to strengthen the wider movement across Leeds. • Work with young people, seek opportunities for them and provide the tools to achieve their potential. • Support our black businesses #BlackLivesMatter Leeds need your support to try to tackle all above and more. #itstopstoday Leeds Facebook: Black Lives Matter Leeds Twitter: blmleeds_ Instagram: blm_leeds