"Short Money" in the New Age of Activism
Corporate donations, Black Lives Matter and executing change.
My email, and I imagine yours, has been filled these past few weeks with messages from corporations, arts groups, and activists announcing their support for Black Lives Matter and disgust at police brutality. Some have had this stance for years, but for most its a new public position driven by the global protest. It proves the adedge that power concedes nothing without a demand. But now we come to the question of money. Several major corporations (for example Nike) have pledged $100 million to aid the black community. (That $100 million seems to be the sweet spot for 21st century corporate activism.) This is great and it is dangerous. So far the Black Lives Matter leadership has avoided the '60s trap of basing their movement on charismatic leaders, escaping the cult of personality that defined that era. But money in the hands of Americans is always a problem. A whole generation of "poverticians" emerged in the '60s and '70s who exploited government and foundation funded programs for personal gain. I grew up in Brownsville, Brooklyn where a man named Sam Wright built a patronage machine with anti-poverty dollars changed nothing in our lives. The money being aimed at the current movement will be a test of character for this new generation as they move from agitation to execution. In the past financial abuses by activists were used as tools to undermine confidence in leadership and spark a backlash against government and charity funded civil rights initiatives. I benefited from programs like Model Cities that kept many young people busy in summers and provided educational enrichment I didn't receive in school. Who these corporations empower with the money (hopefully established, stable organizations) in the streets and oversees it internally (is this where diversity hires get to flex?,) will help define the legacy of this historic moment. So far I feel like the Black Lives Matter leadership has been smart in not falling victim to the "great man/woman" narrative. They have many voices in front of the microphones and their tactics have been fluid and not wedded to rigid hierarchy. To me they seem like students of the game. In the coming months money is gonna be tossed in their path. However this money is really just pennies on the dollar or "short money" that buys temporary good will but does not necessarily signal a long term commitment to structural change. Looking forward to seeing how this intersection of protest, money and power plays out in the next chapter of our long running American drama.