Celebrities all round the world are making donations in support of the Minnesota Freedom Fund, an organization that provides funds to protesters who have been arrested and need to post bail.
Following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by police officer Derek Chauvin last Monday, social media has inhabited an influx of ‘call for justice’ messages and videos by familiar personalities asking the law to take its course in ending the unwarranted killing of black people anywhere they find themselves.
Numerous protests are occurring in different cities in the United States, causing the arrest of protesters who join the course. In support of the notion behind the protest, big acts such as Harry Styles, Chrissy Teigen, Lil Nas X, Steve Carrel, Noname and more have chipped in significant amounts to aid the release of arrested protesters.
Announcing his donation, Harry Styles dissociated himself from the deeds of his fellow white people who engage in the act of racism. Styles tweeted, “I do things every day without fear, because I am privileged, and I am privileged every day because I am white. Being not racist is not enough, we must be anti-racist. Social change is enacted when a society mobilizes. I stand in solidarity with all of those protesting.”
He then signed off in caps letters urging all to support the new hashtag, “LISTEN, READ, SHARE, DONATE and VOTE. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. BLACK LIVES MATTER.”
Chrissy Teigen made a donation of $200,000 to the fund following president Trump’s ‘Maga Night’ tweet on the platform. She wrote, “In celebration of whatever the f**k maga night is, I am committed to donating $100,000 to the bail outs of protestors across the country.” An extra $100,000 was added, “Ooo they might need more money then. Make it $200,000.”
American rapper Noname, also donated $100,000 to the fund and called on other celebrity accounts in her following to match. An action that has already been taken by Janelle Monae, Jameela Jamil and Patton Oswalt, The Safdie Brothers and Seth Rogen under their chain of match to donate have accrued a list of celebrities such as Steve Carell, Ben Schwartz and Don Cheadle matching up their undisclosed donations.
“We are in awe of the support coming through right now,” a statement on the freedom fund’s website reads. “We are working with National Lawyers Guild and Legal Rights Center to help bails that are set.”
The fund is structured in such a way that not only Americans can make donations into. A visit to their official website provides the necessary steps on how to make a contribution.
Other active organizations embarking on similar projects can be found below.
Atlanta Solidarity Fund (atlsolidarity.org)
Brooklyn Community Bail Fund (brooklynbailfund.org)
The Liberty Fund NYC (libertyfund.nyc)
Philadelphia Community Bail Fund (https://www.phillybailout.
Peoples City Council Freedom Fund (Los Angeles) (www.gofundme.com/f/peoples-
Restoring Justice (Houston) (restoringjustice.org)
Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative (Minneapolis) (knowyourrightscamp.com/legal)
Richmond Community Bail Fund (rvabailfund.org)
Colorado Freedom Fund (Denver) (fundly.com/coloradofreedom)
Vegas Freedom Fund (actblue.com/donate/
The Bail Project (National) (givelively.org/donate/the-
Black Visions Collective ( blackvisionsmn.org )
North Star Health Collective (northstarhealthcollective.org)
Black Mamas Bail Out (nationalbailout.org/black-mamas-bail-out/)
Women For Political Change (womenforpoliticalchange.org)
