Social justice nonprofit founded by Black Lives Matter's Patrisse Cullors failed to disclose major donations: report



Blacks Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors is tied to a social justice nonprofit that failed to disclose hundreds of thousands in donations, according to a new report.

Dignity and Power Now is a self-described "Los Angeles based grassroots organization founded in 2012 that fights for the dignity and power of all incarcerated people, their families, and communities." The nonprofit states: "Dignity and Power Now is founded and chaired by Black Lives Matter Cofounder Patrisse Khan-Cullors."

"Patrisse Cullors decided to create a performance art piece that highlighted her brother's story of being abused in the county jails while dissolving the disconnect between the conditions inside custody and the community outside," the Dignity and Power Now "about" page states. "That piece became STAINED: An Intimate Portrayal of State Violence. After a year of touring the piece around Los Angeles County it became clear that audiences wanted to do more than watch the piece – they wanted to change the county jail system."

The Dignity and Power Now/The Coalition to End Sheriff's Violence project was created in July 2012. The Dignity and Power Now nonprofit was "created to be the principle organization for a multifaceted, trauma informed, healing, motivated movement to end state violence and mass incarceration."

The New York Post reported that Dignity and Power Now group "received at least $225,000 in 2016, but told the IRS that the charity had not made more than $50,000 that year, according to public filings." The report noted that "failing to meet that revenue threshold meant that the group didn't have to file a complete federal return, which would outline all of its spending and donations."

The social justice nonprofit was given $100,000 by the Los Angeles-based Resnick Foundation, public documents reportedly show. The donation is purportedly on the Resnick Foundation's 2015 federal tax filings, which show the group's spending from October 2015 through September 2016.

The donation from the Resnick Foundation, a charity controlled by billionaire couple Stewart and Lynda Resnick. The couple have a reported combined net worth of $7.1 billion. Resnick has been the chairman and president of The Wonderful Company, which owns brands including POM Wonderful, bottled water company FIJI Water, Wonderful Pistachios, and Wonderful Almonds.

Dignity and Power Now also received $125,000 from the California Initiative in 2016, according to records.

According to tax filings, the donations were filtered through Community Partners, a nonprofit that helps administer funds for grassroots charities.

The report claims that DPN also didn't disclose the cash donations in its filings to the California attorney general, who regulates charities in the state.

"Dignity and Power Now registered with the Registry of Charitable Trusts in 2017, informing the registry that they first received funds in July of 2017," a statement from the California attorney general's office reads.

The National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative watchdog group, filed complaints to both the IRS and the AG in California. The group called for an audit of Dignity and Power Now's finances.

"The obvious question is what happened to the money," NLPC chairman Peter Flaherty said. "Given these circumstances, we believe that an audit is in order."
Dignity and Power Now purports to speak in the name of the disadvantaged. The IRS must ensure that no one is taking advantage."

This is the latest controversy surrounding Khan-Cullors.

Last week, Michael Brown's father joined BLM chapters who are demanding more "financial transparency" of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation raked in more than $90 million in 2020, according to the Associated Press.

Khan-Cullors resigned last month as the leader of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation following scandalous allegations about the co-founder's recent real estate buying binge.

Black Lives Matter mutiny: Michael Brown's father joins BLM chapters demanding to know what foundation did with $90 million



A group comprised of the original 10 chapters of Black Lives Matter and some newer chapters have called for the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation to provide "financial transparency" and "internal accountability." The splinter BLM group is gaining momentum following the mutiny from the parent Black Lives Matter organization after the father of Michael Brown lent his support of questioning the motives of the Black Lives Matter foundation.

BLM10+ is the "original 10 signatories and the other chapters and organizers" that "remain steadfast in our open calls for accountability from the BLM Global Network Foundation (BLMGN) and Patrisse Cullors." In November 2020, the BLM chapters issued a public demand for the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation to provide "financial transparency." The BLM Global Network Foundation took in over $90 million in 2020, according to the Associated Press.

"To the best of our knowledge, most chapters have received little to no financial support from BLMGN since the launch in 2013," BLM10+ said. "It was only in the last few months that selected chapters appear to have been invited to apply for a $500,000 grant created with resources generated because of the organizing labor of chapters. This is not the equity and financial accountability we deserve."

A report was released last June, claiming that only 6% of BLMGN spending went to local chapters and grassroots organizations, while millions went toward travel and staff compensation.

Following the release of the damning statement against the Black Lives Matter foundation, "chapter names were promptly removed from the BLMGN website," according to BLM10+.

The revolt by BLM chapters against the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is now in full swing. BLM10+ released a new statement this week

BLM10+ claimed that "nepotism, proximity to power, and access to resources became more important to the Network than making sure that they had a radical vision, objectives, and strategies created through a transparent, democratic decision making process and a solid foundation of shared governance and political alignment."

"The salaries, such as those of Patrisse Cullors, other founders, and staff have never been reported to Chapters," the press release, which is titled, "Tell No Lies," said.

"As we labored to build grassroots movements in our communities, our engagement with BLMGN was always problematic and unsupportive," BLM10+ declared. "We never knew who made decisions or how decision making processes were determined."

The group said, "BLMGN has come to reflect the 'problematic' nonprofit industrial complex it criticized."

"The only reason BLMGN has been able to amass millions of dollars from grants and donations is because of the pain of families who have lost loved ones to state violence and the grassroots campaigns we as local chapters and organizers have waged across the country without their support," the news release said. "The reason control of those resources was able to be hoarded from families, chapters, and organizers is that those referred to as founders, and those close to them, allowed themselves to be elevated by the corporate media and other tools of the system that perpetuates ongoing violence against our communities."

BLM10Plus claims to have the support of several parents of sons who were killed by police. Parents calling for BLMGNF accountability, include Samaria Rice, mother of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy who had a toy gun and was fatally shot in Cleveland by police in 2014; Lisa Simpson, the mother of Richard Risher, who was shot and killed in 2016 by police in Los Angeles; and Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown, who was fatally shot in 2014 by police in Ferguson.

"Families of those who were lost to police violence spoke out and also demanded accountability," BLM10+ stated.

Last month, grief-stricken mothers blasted the BLM Global Network Foundation for "benefiting off the blood" of their sons who died from police shootings. The mothers questioned the intentions of BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who they say is going to "take the money and run."

Cullors, who is a self-proclaimed "trained Marxist," went on a real estate spending spree, which brought major suspicions on the finances of the Black Lives Matter organization. Cullors stepped down from her position last month.