It was honestly one of the most radical modes of fund distributions I’ve ever experienced with activists and community organisers deciding where the money goes.

Black Lives Matter UK is a coalition activists across the UK who are organising in the long tradition of radical black organising. We are struggling for black people to live in safety and dignity without their bodies being policed, for the un-recognised murders of black people by the police and other government representatives across the UK to be brought to justice, for the ended prosecution
of black trans people on the streets and in prisons, to stop the deportation of migrants from this country, to stop the disregard of the human rights of black and brown people who are seeking asylum in this country, many of whom have been displaced due to wars, the effects of climate change and the legacies of colonialism. Our methods include direct action, community organising, and political education.

We attended the seventh Edge Fund funding day, in Birmingham on July 15th 2017. Aside from being held underneath a church - it was honestly one of the most radical modes of fund distributions I’ve ever experienced with activists and community organisers deciding where the money goes – pooling together our diverse expertise, experience and passion to share a little between a lot. We were particularly moved by meeting Frack Free South Yorkshire due to our particular interest in climate change and didn’t even know they were trying to start hydraulic fracturing in England and also meeting African Rainbow family – an amazing collective of African’s living in the diaspora and on the continent connecting for the rights of LGBTQIA+ folks seeking refuge/asylum/rights. But all of the groups were just phenomenal and it was so invigorating to know how much grass routes work is being done all over the country across the issues of sex worker rights, housing, climate change, LGBTQIA+ rights, mental health, addiction recovery, and racial justice. BLMUK is the UK chapter of Black Lives Matter, There were over 3000 deaths in the Mediterranean in 2016, all of which were avoidable.

The £3000 we were awarded from Edge Fund creates an incredible opportunity for us to invest in young people by funding a BLM UK summer school and supports us to connect with other black activists organising across Europe to skill-share and collectivise. And that is just the beginning.