Patrisse CullorsEdit
Patrisse Cullors is an American artist and activist known for co-founding the #BlackLivesMatter movement in 2013, alongside Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi. What began as a response to police violence against black people and the broader racial disparities in the criminal justice system grew into a global network that advocates for policing reforms, accountability, and investments in communities affected by crime and poverty. Cullors has also pursued writing and art, including a memoir co-authored with Asha Bandele that recounts her life and the origins of the movement: When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir (2017).
The public profile of Cullors is tied to two overlapping threads: her role in shaping a worldwide social movement and the vehement debates sparked by how such movements raise and spend money. Critics on the political right have argued that the leadership and fundraising of BLM were not sufficiently transparent and that the movement’s demands for systemic change could have broad, and sometimes controversial, implications for policing, public safety, and social policy. In 2021, media scrutiny over Cullors’s personal real estate purchases amplified questions about the governance and use of donated funds by the movement’s affiliated organizations. Cullors stepped back from the day-to-day leadership of the BLM Global Network Foundation to pursue other projects, while supporters maintain that the movement helped elevate conversations about race, policing, and justice and spurred reforms at various levels of government and law enforcement.
Early life and influences
Patrisse Cullors was born in Los Angeles in June 1984 and grew up in a city characterized by significant economic and social challenges. Her experiences in a community repeatedly confronted by crime, surveillance, and racial bias shaped her commitment to social justice and community organizing from a young age. Cullors built a record of local organizing around issues affecting black residents and youth, which laid the groundwork for her later leadership in a national and international movement.
Founding and development of the movement
The launch of the organization and the broader movement followed the 2013 case in which George Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Florida. The phrase “black lives matter” began as a simple hashtag and evolved into a decentralized, transnational network of chapters focused on policing practices, criminal justice reforms, and community safety. Cullors contributed to shaping the movement’s messaging, strategy, and growth, working alongside Garza and Tometi to expand the reach of the movement beyond local protests to online organizing, education, and policy engagement. The movement’s influence has prompted a wide array of public discussions about law enforcement, race, and public policy and has influenced civic discourse in cities and states across the United States and abroad.
Writings, media, and influence
In addition to organizing, Cullors has pursued creative and scholarly work that intersects race, art, and public life. Her co-authored book, When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir, provides a personal narrative of her life and of the origins and aims of the movement. The book and her public appearances have helped bring more attention to issues of policing, housing, and social services, while also generating debate about leadership, accountability, and the practical outcomes of large-scale social movements. Cullors’s work as an artist and public intellectual has kept her in the center of conversations about race and justice, even as critics question the movement’s methods and claims.
Controversies and debates
The rise of the movement corresponded with intense public scrutiny over fundraising, governance, and the use of donated resources. From a conservative or traditionalist viewpoint, questions about transparency and accountability within large social movements are common, and some critics argued that BLM organizations did not always provide clear financial disclosures or governance structures for donors. The reporting about Patrisse Cullors’s real estate purchases in 2021 intensified these debates, with opponents arguing that personal transactions by movement leaders could undermine public trust in the cause. Cullors acknowledged using personal funds for property purchases, and the movement’s affiliated organizations sought to reassure donors and the public about governance and accountability practices. In the same period, the movement’s policy directions—such as calls for policing reform or reallocation of funds toward community services—were hotly debated. Proponents argued these reforms were aimed at reducing crime and improving public safety in the long run, while critics contended that sweeping changes to policing could have unintended consequences for crime and order.
Across the discourse, proponents of Cullors’s approach contend that the emphasis on accountability, transparency, and social investment reflected prudent stewardship of a broad-based movement and its mission. Critics, however, argue that the emphasis on sweeping structural change can be risky or impractical in the short term, especially given concerns about the day-to-day realities of crime, public safety, and budgetary constraints. The debates around these issues continued to shape public perception of the movement and its leaders, including Cullors, as the dialogue on race, policing, and public policy evolved in responding to events across the United States.