2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Ring of Fire Radio: #BlackLivesMatter Leadership Wants Progressives and Bernie Destroyed, Read This [View all]starroute
(12,977 posts)It doesn't mention those same three names -- unless they're the ones it refers to as having coined the hashtag -- but it does make it clear that queer black women are prominent in the movement. It's altogether a more positive take on things, though -- and though ROF could be right about the self-serving nature of their agenda, I'd rather wait for confirmation and to see how far it extends.
http://inthesetimes.com/article/17551/the_women_behind_blacklivesmatter
What few realize, however, is that a movement often described as leaderless, and largely framed by the bodies of slain black men and boys, is being propelled by the efforts of women of color.
The Nov. 24, 2014 decision that Darren Wilson would not be indicted in the shooting death of Michael Brown prompted Synead Nichols, 23, and her friend Umaara Elliott, 19, to organize what would become Millions March NYC. It began as a Facebook event. We maxed out everyone on our friends list, says Umaara, and they started RSVPing and resharing. The website www. millionsmarchnyc.org debuted about a week later, and a Twitter handle, Instagram account and even a Tumblr page soon followed. . . .
Look into the roots of other #BlackLivesMatter protests, and youll often find women like Nichols, Elliott and Perez. Fergusons Millennial Activists United, founded in the wake of Browns death, was created by three young women of color, Ashley Yates, Alexis Templeton and Brittany Ferrell (after meeting in Ferguson, Templeton and Ferrell married in January).
The hashtag that has become the movements signature, #BlackLivesMatter, was itself coined by three black queer women, in response to George Zimmermans acquittal in the killing of Trayvon Martin.