At the annual winter gathering of the Democracy Alliance major liberal donor club in Washington, D.C. next week,
Politico reports that some of the biggest donors on the left are planning to meet behind closed doors with leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement.
According to Politico, the movement is in need of cash to build a self-sustaining infrastructure, however, some donors are wary of funding a movement that is known for aggressive tactics.
"Major donors are usually not as radical or confrontational as activists most in touch with the pain of oppression," said a Democracy Alliance member, Steve Phillips.
Phillips added, "The progressive donor world should be adding zeroes to their contributions that support this transformative movement."
In an effort to advance liberal ideas and causes, the DA was created in 2005 by major donors who are required to donate at least $200,000 a year to recommended groups, Politico reports.
And while the DA endorsed a handful of groups focused on engaging African-Americans in politics last year, this is the first time the DA will discuss funding a movement — possibly making many uncomfortable.
"Movements that are challenging the status quo and that do so to some extent by using direct action or disruptive tactics are meant to make people uncomfortable, so I'm sure we have partners who would be made uncomfortable by it or think that that's not a good tactic," said DA President Gara LaMarche.
"But we have a wide range of human beings and different temperaments and approaches in the DA, so it's quite possible that there are people who are a little concerned, as well as people who are curious or are supportive. This is a chance for them to meet some of the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement, and understand the movement better, and then we'll take stock of that and see where it might lead."
At the conference kickoff dinner next week, Politico reports that the DA will concentrate on "what kind of support and resources are needed from the allied funders during this critical moment of immediate struggle and long-term movement building."
LaMarche added that their goal is to convince donors to "use some of the money that's going into the presidential races for grass-roots organizing and movement building."
And while some believe the movement has gone against Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, LaMarche said, "Black Lives Matter has been pushing Bernie, and Bernie has been pushing Hillary. Politics is a field where you almost have to push your allies hardest and hold them accountable.
"That's exactly the point of democracy," she said.
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