Jason Davis/ iOne
Right-wing political pundit Candace Owens is putting pressure on former Black Lives Matter leader Patrisse Cullors to reveal how she spent the global organization’s funds during her tenure.
On May 7, Owens, who’s currently eight months pregnant, showed up unannounced at the social justice warrior’s home, asking to speak to the 38-year-old activist for a documentary she’s creating to expose BLM’s alleged misuse of donation money.
“Obviously, we know that Patrisse and a lot of the founders purchased million-dollar homes in white neighborhoods,” Owens alleged in a scathing video on Instagram.
“They also purchased a Black Lives Matter property. So we went to the property and asked if there was anyone that we could speak to, very politely, by the way, we’ve got cameras in tow.”
Back in April, Cullors along with her BLM co-founders Alicia Garza, and Melina Abdullah, were accused of buying a $6 million dollar property that reportedly boasts “more than half a dozen bedrooms,” a swimming pool and a soundstage in Los Angeles. The “When They Call You A Terrorist” author denied the allegations in a lengthy Instagram post, noting how she and her former BLM cohorts purchased the property in 2020 to house the organization’s Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, a space where Black filmmakers, musicians and artists could come together and “foster creativity.” However, it seems Owens isn’t buying the story.
The outspoken podcast host claimed that she arrived at the property to find a white security guard out front. When she asked whether she could speak to someone on-site, the guard started recording her.
“We never went over the gate. It was just me ringing the doorbell trying to speak to someone…he said absolutely nothing,” she told her followers, adding that she never “harrased” Cullors.
Visibly shaken up by the conservative commentator’s visit, Cullors claimed Owens was hostile when she showed up at her personal home, mistaking it for the global foundation’s headquarters.
“She was demanding that I come outside,” the college professor told viewers during an Instagram Live session as tears streamed down her face.
“It’s really unacceptable, and it’s dangerous, when Candace Owens, another black woman, who is actually working as a part of the right-wing agenda, comes outside of my house with cameras,” she continued, noting how the safety of her family and child were imperative.
“What happened this morning is not safety,” Cullors sobbed. “It’s not what I deserve. It’s not what any of us deserve, so just be diligent when you see sh*t in the media because they are purposefully doing this… they are purposefully building a wedge between Black people because they know when we are together we are stronger.”
Cullors doubled down on her innocence in an exclusive interview with Ap News on May 9.
“The idea that (the foundation) received millions of dollars and then I hid those dollars in my bank account is absolutely false,” she said. “That’s a false narrative. It’s impacted me personally and professionally, that people would accuse me of stealing from Black people.”
She also defended the property purchase.
“We really wanted to make sure that the global network foundation had an asset that wasn’t just financial resources,” she said, “and we understood that not many Black-led organizations have property. They don’t own their property.”
The abolitionist did however confess to using the BLM property for two events that were not business-related. In January 2021, Cullors said she hosted president Biden’s inauguration party for 15 people at the massive Los Angeles compound. In March 2021, the activist held a private birthday party for her son which the organization billed her for. In hindsight, Cullors said that she should not have used the property that way.
“I look back at that and think, that probably wasn’t the best idea,” she added.
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