Patrisse Cullors resigned from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation after weeks of criticism surrounding her million dollar real estate purchases.
The 37-year-old had been at the helm of the BLMGNF for six years.
“I’ve created the infrastructure and the support, and the necessary bones and foundation, so that I can leave. It feels like the time is right,” she said to the Associated Press.
In April, Cullors — who is a self-described Marxist — was heavily criticized after it was discovered that she had purchased a $1.4 million home in a predominantly white neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. A later report said that she had purchased four high-end homes totaling more than $3.2 million.
In her comments to the AP, Cullors characterized the criticism as coming from the right, and claimed that the decision to leave the group had nothing to do with the controversy.
“Those were right-wing attacks that tried to discredit my character, and I don’t operate off of what the right thinks about me,” Cullors said.
Cullors also posted a video to her YouTube account about her resignation and only obliquely referenced the controversy from her home purchase.
“I stayed in it and withstood a lot of s***,” she said in the video.
The BLM foundation revealed to the AP that they had garnered $90 million in donations just in 2020.
The official Twitter account of Black Lives Matter tweeted a statement praising Cullors after she announced her resignation.
“After almost 8 years, we say see you later to the last of our founders, Patrisse Cullors, who’s served BLM whole-heartedly. We reflect on the impact Patrisse had on BLM, & we are in deep gratitude,” they tweeted.
Here’s the video from Cullors about her resignation:
Why I’m Transitioning Out of my Role as Executive Director of BLM | Patrisse Cullors
www.youtube.com