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STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 29, 2021
Contact:
BBLM Leadership Representative
Mrs. Rozalind Sinnamon-Johnson
Phone: (707) 334-3060
Email: beniciablacklivesmatter@gmail.com
BENICIA BLACK LIVES MATTER (BBLM) LEADERSHIP UPDATE
BBLM adopts a group-centered leadership structure, code of conduct, and set of bylaws.
As of September 29, 2021, Nimat Shakoor-Grantham has transitioned from her role as co-founder of Benicia Black Lives Matter (BBLM), though she will maintain status as a general member-at-large. BBLM's Leadership Team is honored to have benefited from Shakoor-Grantham's gifts of labor and love as we worked together to advance the movement for Black lives in Benicia and across Solano County. Shakoor-Grantham leaves BBLM’s leadership team in good standing and supported by a group of committed Benicia residents.
From its inception, Benicia Black Lives Matter has been a values-driven organization. Three of our core values center around: (1) affirming Black lives, (2) supporting the improvement of the Black lived experience in Benicia, and (3) ensuring accountability in our city government. Over the last several months, BBLM members as a group have been reflecting intentionally on the structure and activities of the organization.
In June of 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Nimat Shakoor-Grantham and Brandon Greene organized the group that is today known as BBLM. As co-founders, Shakoor-Grantham and Greene have partnered with a core group of members to establish a leadership model similar to that of the national Black Lives Matter organization (though BBLM is not an official chapter of the national organization at this time), based on Ella Baker’s philosophy of group-centered leadership and inclusion.
BBLM has been and continues to be a grassroots community of volunteers that operate within a decentralized structure. A core group of elected Black leaders determine vision and goals for BBLM under the guidance of a set of bylaws and code of conduct; multiple Action Teams drive execution of this vision and these goals independently, supported by Black leaders with a liaison assigned to each Action Team. Below is a visual depiction of BBLM’s leadership structure. The formal bylaws and code of conduct will be updated and made available to the community at www.beniciablacklivesmatter.com. The Black Leadership Team is available for community engagement and conversation; they can be reached at beniciablacklivesmatter@gmail.com or via various social channels, Instagram @beniciablacklivesmatter, Twitter @beniciablm, Facebook @beniciablacklivesmatter.
Picture: Benicia Black Lives Matter Black Leadership Team and Action Team Leads.
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About
Benicia Black Lives Matter is a grassroots community group organized to address anti-Black racism in the city of Benicia. There is a lack of Black representation across City leadership, departments, and voluntary boards. The lack of Black representation tells a story of our complacency as a community and more so, the impact on our Black Benicians lived experience. The good news is, we can rebuild the City of Benicia into a better Benicia, one commitment and one change at a time – and we have a strategy to do so. Our Strategy: Actively Commit to Change. The City of Benicia must commit to a specific vision of what a better, more inclusive and equitable future looks like. For additional information see beniciablacklivesmatter.com.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 29, 2021
Contact:
BBLM Leadership Representative
Mrs. Rozalind Sinnamon-Johnson
Phone: (707) 334-3060
Email: beniciablacklivesmatter@gmail.com
BENICIA BLACK LIVES MATTER (BBLM) LEADERSHIP UPDATE
BBLM adopts a group-centered leadership structure, code of conduct, and set of bylaws.
As of September 29, 2021, Nimat Shakoor-Grantham has transitioned from her role as co-founder of Benicia Black Lives Matter (BBLM), though she will maintain status as a general member-at-large. BBLM's Leadership Team is honored to have benefited from Shakoor-Grantham's gifts of labor and love as we worked together to advance the movement for Black lives in Benicia and across Solano County. Shakoor-Grantham leaves BBLM’s leadership team in good standing and supported by a group of committed Benicia residents.
From its inception, Benicia Black Lives Matter has been a values-driven organization. Three of our core values center around: (1) affirming Black lives, (2) supporting the improvement of the Black lived experience in Benicia, and (3) ensuring accountability in our city government. Over the last several months, BBLM members as a group have been reflecting intentionally on the structure and activities of the organization.
In June of 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Nimat Shakoor-Grantham and Brandon Greene organized the group that is today known as BBLM. As co-founders, Shakoor-Grantham and Greene have partnered with a core group of members to establish a leadership model similar to that of the national Black Lives Matter organization (though BBLM is not an official chapter of the national organization at this time), based on Ella Baker’s philosophy of group-centered leadership and inclusion.
BBLM has been and continues to be a grassroots community of volunteers that operate within a decentralized structure. A core group of elected Black leaders determine vision and goals for BBLM under the guidance of a set of bylaws and code of conduct; multiple Action Teams drive execution of this vision and these goals independently, supported by Black leaders with a liaison assigned to each Action Team. Below is a visual depiction of BBLM’s leadership structure. The formal bylaws and code of conduct will be updated and made available to the community at www.beniciablacklivesmatter.com. The Black Leadership Team is available for community engagement and conversation; they can be reached at beniciablacklivesmatter@gmail.com or via various social channels, Instagram @beniciablacklivesmatter, Twitter @beniciablm, Facebook @beniciablacklivesmatter.
Picture: Benicia Black Lives Matter Black Leadership Team and Action Team Leads.
###
About
Benicia Black Lives Matter is a grassroots community group organized to address anti-Black racism in the city of Benicia. There is a lack of Black representation across City leadership, departments, and voluntary boards. The lack of Black representation tells a story of our complacency as a community and more so, the impact on our Black Benicians lived experience. The good news is, we can rebuild the City of Benicia into a better Benicia, one commitment and one change at a time – and we have a strategy to do so. Our Strategy: Actively Commit to Change. The City of Benicia must commit to a specific vision of what a better, more inclusive and equitable future looks like. For additional information see beniciablacklivesmatter.com.
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