Over the weekend, media companies began sharing statements about supporting Black Lives Matter, a surprisingly and refreshingly frank way to address the protests happening all around the world, with Netflix in particular saying that it’s the company’s “duty” to its “Black members, employees, creators, and talent” to “speak up” in the face of racial injustice. It was surprising, if only because it indicated that it’s now better business for these companies to align themselves with Black Lives Matter than it is to ignore the movement and the protests, which seems like a good thing (even if it’s just about not wanting to be the one media company that doesn’t say anything). Now, some of these companies are putting their money where their mouth is, with Variety reporting that J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company and his Katie McGrath And J.J. Abrams Family Foundation have pledged to donate $10 million over the course of five years to organizations that are “committed to anti-racist agendas.”
Specifically, the organizations are Black Lives Matter LA, Black Futures Lab, Community Coalition, Equal Justice Initiative, and Know Your Rights Camp. This charitable decision was announced in an Instagram post that says, among other things, “Enough police brutality. Enough outsized privilege. Enough polite conversation. Enough white comfort.” It also argues for a “massive and thoughtful overhaul of tax policy” so “corporate and private philanthropy” isn’t the only way to address these issues on a larger scale.
Looking for ways to advocate for black lives? Check out this list of resources by our sister site Lifehacker for ways to get involved