In a sea of negative media coverage, good news can be hard to find. Which is why, here at QuaranTEEN, we have decided to begin a weekly good news spotlight to lend some visibility to all the good that is happening in the world! In light of recent events, we now present you: a cup of Positivitea, BLM edition.
1. BAIL IS AT LEAST $1M FOR EX-OFFICER ARRESTED FOR THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD
“Mr. Chauvin’s bail would be $1 million if he agrees to certain conditions, including surrendering any of his firearms, remaining in the state until trial, not working in law enforcement and avoiding any contact with the Floyd family. Mr. Chauvin’s bail is higher than the bail of at least $750,000 given last week to the other three officers accused of aiding and abetting in Mr. Floyd’s death. Lawyers for two of those men, both rookies who had just days on the job, blamed Mr. Chauvin, who was a training officer for both of them. The third former officer has cooperated with the authorities. Those are all indications that the police officers will not be presenting a united front, unusual in cases in which the police are charged in a death. All four men were fired the day after Mr. Floyd died”.
For more on this story, read the full article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/08/us/derek-chauvin-court.html?auth=login-google
2. NATIONWIDE PROTESTS LEAD TO REOPENNING OF BREONNA TAYLOR CASE
“On May 21, the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department announced it would require all sworn officers to wear body cameras. The LMPD also said it would change how the department carries out search warrants in response to Taylor's death. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said the developments were the first steps the city would take toward improving police accountability. The same day, the LMPD's Police Chief Steve Conrad announced he would be retiring at the end of June. However, Conrad was removed from his post on June 1 after it was discovered the officers present at the shooting death of a black man named David McAtee during a Louisville protest did not have their body cams turned on. On June 3, Fischer announced the city of Louisville would be "issuing a request for proposal for a comprehensive, top-to-bottom review" of the LMPD, to be conducted by an external firm. The request for proposal can be viewed here”.
For more on this story, read the full article here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/05/us/breonna-taylor-birthday-charges-arrests-case-trnd/index.html
3. MINNESOTA FREEDOM FUND RAISES $20M AND REDIRECTS DONATORS TO OTHER SITES, AS THE FREEDOM FUND NO LONGER NEEDS DONATIONS
“A small Minneapolis bail fund has received millions of dollars in funding from people after the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died on Memorial Day after a white police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee. Since Wednesday, the Minnesota Freedom Fund, founded in 2016, has received tens of thousands of donations from around the world, said Octavia Smith, the fund’s emeritus board president, many of them stemming from social media. Users posted screen shots of their donations after making them and implored their followers to match their contributions. Within four days, the fund had raised about $20 million, Ms. Smith said”.
For more on this story, read the full article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/style/minnesota-freedom-fund-bail-george-floyd-protests.html
4. ALL 50 AMERICAN STATES JOIN TOGETHER TO MARCH FOR #BLACKLIVESMATTER AND PROTEST AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY
“There have been demonstrations in at least 700 cities and towns so far, large and small, across all 50 states. The number of places that have held rallies or protests is still growing — for the latest updates on events near you, use the map above to find local news, or search through the table below”.
For more on this story, read the full article here: https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2020/06/03/map-protests-wake-george-floyds-death/5310149002/
5. PHOTOS SHOW BLACK LIVES MATTER AND ANTI-POLICE BRUTALITY PROTESTS ERUPTING ALL OVER THE WORLD
“Countries across the globe are erupting in response to the death of George Floyd. From Europe to Asia, to South America, and Australia, protesters in several countries and cities are following the U.S.'s lead in Black Lives Matter protests last weekend, per the New York Times and Reuters”.
For more on this story, read the full article here: https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-show-international-anti-racism-black-lives-matter-protests-2020-6
6. BTS DONATES $1M TO BLACK LIVES MATTER, FANS MATCH DONATIONS NEXT DAY
“Shortly after it was revealed that BTS and Big Hit Entertainment donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter, the BTS ARMY, as the group’s legion of followers are known, assembled and vowed to match the donation — which it did within 24 hours. The feat follows a recent effort by K-pop fans to take over the hashtag #whitelivesmatter, drowning out white-supremacist messages with nonsensical or anti-racist posts, and also flooded the Dallas Police Department’s iWatch Dallas app with K-pop content in place of footage of protestors. The moves demonstrated fans’ formidable social-media power and was met with wide approval online early Wednesday morning”.
For more on this story, read the full article here: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/bts-donates-1-million-black-lives-matter-supporters-match-donations-n1227441
7. THE WEEKND DONATES $500K TO RACIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVES AND URGES FANS TO CONTRIBUTE AS WELL
“The Weeknd is urging his nearly 23 million followers to follow his lead in donating to nonprofit organizations committed to racial equality. On Monday (June 1), the star detailed receipts of $500,000 in donations he split between Black Lives Matter Global Network, Colin Kaepernick's Know Your Rights Camp and National Bail Out. 'Keep supporting our brothers and sisters out there risking everything to push for actual change for our black lives," he captioned the Instagram slideshow. "Urging everyone with big pockets to give and give big and if you have less please give what you can even if it's a small amount'”.
For more on this story, read the full article here: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/9395412/the-weeknd-donated-500k-racial-justice-initiativeshttps://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/9395412/the-weeknd-donated-500k-racial-justice-initiatives
8. ANGELINA JOLIE DONATES $200K TO NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND FOR 45TH BIRTHDAY
“Angelina Jolie is known for her generous philanthropy, and she made no exception as she rang in her 45th birthday yesterday. Per People, the actress reportedly donated $200,000 to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund ahead of her birthday, which she spent celebrating at home with her six children, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt. Jolie's donation is the latest in a slew of celebrity contributions to Black resistance causes and organizations following the May 25 murder of George Floyd and ongoing protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement across the country”.
For more on this story, read the full article here: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a32779807/angelina-jolie-donates-naacp-for-birthday/
9. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE CAST DONATES $100K TO NATIONAL BAIL FUND NETWORK
“The cast of the television show 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' has made a 100,000 donation to the National Bail Fund Network. Dan Goor, co-creator of the show, took to Twitter to make the announcment and to 'condemn' the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of the Minneapolis Police”.
For more on this story, read the full article here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/entertainment/brooklyn-nine-nine-donate-100k-national-bail-fund-network/index.html#:~:text=(CNN)%20The%20cast%20of%20the,the%20hands%20of%20Minneapolis%20police.
10. CHRISSY TEIGEN AND JOHN LEGEND DONATE $72K TO THE ACLU FOR TRUMP'S 72ND BIRTHDAY
“In a note post, Teigen detailed that she and Legend find the policies of the Trump Administration as it affects immigrant families in the U.S., to be “cruel, anti-family and go against everything we believe this country should represent.” She then announced that each member of their family would be donating $72,000 because of Trump’s 72nd birthday, encouraging her followers to make donations of their own, of any amount to the ACLU — now that’s a birthday gift that won’t soon be forgotten”.
For more on this story, read the full article here: https://time.com/5312445/chrissy-teigen-john-legend-donate-to-aclu-for-donald-trump-birthday/
For more celebrities who contributed to the BLM movement, see US Weekly's article.
For ways you can contribute, see QuaranTEEN's #BlackLivesMatter Resources post.
Disclaimer: QuaranTEEN does not claim ownership of any of the above articles unless otherwise stated; they are merely posted here with the intent of spreading good news in these difficult times.
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