Help unpaid staff of Black Wall Street Gallery
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We are hosting a fundraiser to help the victims of Black Wall Street scandal recover from recent scam.
In September 2022, [retracted] hired a 3rd group of victims in the ponzi scheme that is Black Wall Street Gallery. Promising now a team of 8, fulltime and long-term employment. This was untrue, in November last year, staff were notified by the director of operations that they were not employees but sole proprietors. This tactic was *allegedly* to avoid tax, which means that the now unemployed team are unable to apply for unemployment assistance from the state of New York, as an employer would have to fill in the department of labours tax form 1020.
In December, over the Christmas vacation, he fired all staff after he spent thousands of dollars in Europe and Miami (for art Basel socializing) since then the owner withheld pay.
We are raising money for the victims to get back on their feet after being conned into taking false employment with the gallery. Currently, 3 staff members are either facing eviction or are being forced to relocate to other states.
If anyone has read the scandals online you would not be surprised to hear how he chooses vulnerable people as his staff... the gallery is picking and choosing who is paid and how much.
- One staff member is subleasing their home until they find a new job. This same person was tricked into paying casual staff, such as bartenders and cleaners in cash, with the promise that she was going to be reimbursed.
- One staff member we all know and love had to return to a hostile situation in Virginia whilst he finds new work.
- One staff member is a single parent and carer of elderly parents. She was asked to attend a business trip on behalf of the gallery but was not paid for doing so.
There are also many unpaid artists facing hardships
- One undocumented artist is owed $35,000 from sold painting but is currently struggling to pay rent, they have no family here that can house them.
- Another undocumented artist who recently showed their work is currently staying with friends and is unable to find a place to live, as they haven't been paid yet.
- We already know there are artists living in Africa he has no intention of paying.
- Black Queer Photographer in Atlanta has not been paid for work they sold with the gallery one year ago
We are hoping to raise at least $1000 per person to contribute to living costs whilst the victims find new work. Please help us by sharing this link using the hashtags #SurvivingBlackWallStreet #PayBlackWomen
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New York, NY