By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia
In a tearful Instagram Live post, Black Lives Matter Founder Patrisse Cullors described feeling threatened after Candace Owens arrived with a news crew outside the leader’s home in Los Angeles on May 7.
“She was demanding that I come outside,” said Cullors as she addressed many of her 367,000 Instagram followers who joined her.
“It’s really unacceptable, dangerous,” Cullors stated.
“When Candace Owens, another Black woman, who is actually working as a part of the right-wing agenda, comes outside my house with cameras.”
Owens, a conservative known for her fangirl obsession with former President Donald Trump and other white conservatives and the rhetoric she often spews online and on television, has led the charge against the Black Lives Matter Movement.
Owens has seized on unsubstantiated reports by right-wing media that Cullors used foundation money to purchase a $6 million home in California and purchased other property.
However, foundation officials and Cullors have pointed out that the California home represents a space for Black creators.
As for the other properties, Cullors has publicly stated that she purchased those from the proceeds of book sales and other personal earnings.
Owens claimed she watched Cullors live.
While claiming Cullors lied, Owens admitted to going to the home and ringing the doorbell.
“The truth shall set you free, or Candace Owens shall set you free, girl. Because I’m about to tell the truth,” Owens remarked in her own video.
Supporters of Cullors have stated that she indeed purchased a Los Angeles home for the foundation. However, the home Owens visited was not the property owned by the foundation. It was Cullors’ private residence.
Supporters have argued that the $6 million foundation home stands as an office and community workshop, like the one in Toronto that acts as a cultural center with offices for activists and no bedrooms.
Officials have stated that the primary purpose of purchasing the properties remains to build equity for the movement to continue.
“It’s been a hard few weeks,” Cullors remarked. “I really need to be safe. I need my family to be safe. I need my child to be safe.”
Cullors further described the threat to her security following Owens’ unannounced visit.
“It’s not safety. It’s not what I deserve, or any of us deserve,” she insisted.
She urged her friends and followers to remain diligent and reserve judgment.
“When you see [stuff] in the media being talked about, be diligent because they are purposely building a wedge between Black people,” Cullors asserted.
“They know that when we are together, we are stronger. They’ve seen what we’ve done over the last decade, and they are literally trying to destroy us; destroy me; destroy the movement.”
She continued:
“I just us to be stronger, more diligent, and more present. I want us to be clearer and more accountable. I love ya’ll so much. Pray for my family, check on Black organizers. This backlash is real and is impacting our personal and everyday life.
“I’m going to keep doing my work to be accountable and be in a right relationship with the people I love and those who love and trust me. I’ll continue to show up. Please take care of each other.”
