Black Lives Matter (BLM) began as a social media hash tag in 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in response to the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.
The phrase “Black Lives Matter” can refer to a Twitter hashtag, a slogan, a social movement, a political action committee, or a loose confederation of groups advocating for racial justice.
For 10 years Cullors was an organizer in the Labor/Community Strategy Center, established and run by Eric Mann, a former member of the Weather Underground, the 1960s radical faction identified by the FBI as a domestic terrorist group.
Cullors, Garza and Tometi are community organizers, artists and writers. They are also avowed Marxist, “The first thing, I think, is that we actually do have an ideological frame. Myself and Alicia in particular are trained organizers,” says Garza, “We are trained Marxists. We are super-versed on, sort of, ideological theories. And I think that what we really tried to do is build a movement that could be utilized by many, many black folk.”
DeKalb County School District Hosts Black Lives Matter Week of Action 2020
BLM 2020 Workshop Topics for Breakout Sessions
BLM School Instructional Activities Lesson Plans
BLM HBCU Videos
HBCUs by State
The week of November 9-13 will be “Black Lives Matter at DeKalb Schools Week of Action 2020” in the DeKalb County School District (DCSD). The weeklong event features daily Black Lives Matter school-based instructional activities, including a social media celebration of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), a celebration of Black-owned businesses in DeKalb County, the My Brother’s Keeper Kickoff, a “My Black is Beautiful Unity Day,” and a student-led panel discussion.
The Board of Education adopted the resolution for Black Lives Matter At DeKalb Schools Week of Action 2020 on July 13, 2020. The goal of this week is to spark on ongoing movement of critical reflection and honest conversation in school communities for people of all ages to engage with issues of racial justice.
“DeKalb County School District is a divers school district and we celebrate that beautiful diversity in every way,” Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris said. “Black Lives Matter at DeKalb Schools Week of Action 2020 gives our scholars and staff an opportunity to recognize the positive images for our students in our communities while speaking out against racial and social injustices in our communities.”
Black Lives Matter began as a social media hash tag in 2013 in response to the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watch coordinator in Sanford, Fla. The social media movement transformed into a global organization with the goal to build power to bring justice, healing and freedom to Black people across the globe.
DeKalb County Board of Education Chair Mr. Marshall Orson said, “DeKalb County School District’s Black Lives Matter at School Week is an affirmation of the district’s commitment to its students, staff, and communities of color. By focusing on the important contributions from, as well as the ongoing challenges faced by, these communities, we will enrich the lives of all who are part of or touched by DCSD.”
“In today’s society, the Black Lives Matter Movement represents a visual representation of what our ancestors fought for throughout history,” School Board Member Diijon DaCosta said. “Our ancestors fought for justice, freedom, equality, and change, which benefits minorities and people of color. We must continue to build on their legacy by being involved, staying informed, and choosing to let our voices be heard. Now is the time to shift the narrative towards progressive change, diversity, and inclusion. We cannot allow ourselves to continue to negative behaviors from the past that cause division. Change starts with us.”
“Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue.”