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Black Unity LA

(written September 30, 2020 for fundraising/donation purposes)


Black Unity is a 24-hour protest focused on justice reform and helping the community in Downtown Los Angeles. It was started by the people, for the people. Currently the longest standing occupation in the movement for black lives in the US, Black Unity is more than just a camp occupying a park. It serves as a home-base for activists and protesters in DTLA. BU welcomes people from all walks of life and promotes an inclusive environment for its residents and visitors. Providing a safe place for marginalized people, Black Unity is home to LGBTQ+ residents, undocumented immigrants, and other targeted activists like citizen journalists and street medics.

In addition to providing this safe space, Black Unity hosts and promotes events for the community and for the movement for black lives. Some days, they provide breakfast for the nearby un-housed communities and others, they take clothes and other resources to Skid Row. Every Friday, BU hosts a town hall meeting on the steps of City Hall to listen to the concerns of the community. In the last few weeks, two black men have been murdered by police in LA County and Black Unity has shown up to support the families of the victims, mourning in solidarity as well as protesting for justice.

Many of the members of Black Unity would take a bullet for each other or for the movement, and a number of them have been shot with rubber bullets, pepper balls, flash bang grenades, tear gas, and smoke bombs, or been brutalized by the police in other ways, all for peacefully protesting. The LA County Sheriffs have threatened to raid the camp and kick them out, but Black Unity stands their ground and still maintains their occupation of Grand Park a month after the original threat of a raid.

With all of the trauma they’ve experienced during their occupation through the past three months, the members and residents of Black Unity come together day and night to unite over shared cannabis. Whether rolled in joints, blunts, smoked in a bong or even eaten as edibles, cannabis has been something that helps everyone chill out after a long day of fighting the powers that be.

Black Unity stands together with the people as one unified force for change, progress, and peace!

 

Emma Schlichting