After George Floyd’s murder, corporations pledged $50 billion towards Black communties and racial equity initiatives.
That’s big talk, but who actually received big bucks?
$45.2 billion of the initiatives toward Black issues were in the form of bank loans, mortgages, or business investments they’ll profit from long term. A “loan” isn’t a donation or a form of reparations!
Additionally, ONLY $250 million was allocated to racial equity programs, but Black Lives Matter wasn’t one of them! And that’s only the half of it.
“Defund The Police” was BLMs primary demand, yet the “equity programs” corporations donated to were primarily performative educational initiatives.
Corporations intentionally donated towards uncontroversial initiatives that wouldn’t ruffle any feathers, meaning they could say they’d “done something” without doing much.
Corporations are quick to support Black issues when it’s “trending,” but rarely continue support once media attention dies down.
This shows they aren’t interested in supporting systemic policy changes. It’s clear that their “BLM priority” should really stand for “Businesses Love Money.”
We can’t trust corporations who profit from our oppression. Financial donations are just talk when they don’t support initiatives that actually dismantle anti-Black policies and institutions.
We have to invest in each other – because profit-seeking corporations never truly will.