Patrisse Cullors

Patrisse Cullors
The Laura Flanders Show · CC BY 3.0 · source
Name	Patrisse Cullors
Birth date	June 20, 1983
Birth place	Los Angeles, California
Occupation	Artist, activist, and writer

Patrisse Cullors

Patrisse Cullors is a renowned American artist, activist, and writer, best known for co-founding the Black Lives Matter movement. Her work focuses on social justice, human rights, and racial equality, making her a prominent figure in the US Civil Rights Movement. Through her activism and artistic endeavors, Cullors has become a leading voice in the fight against systemic racism and police brutality. Her commitment to justice and equity has inspired a new generation of activists and artists, including those involved in the Ferguson unrest and the Movement for Black Lives.

● Early Life and Education

Patrisse Cullors was born on June 20, 1983, in Los Angeles, California, to a low-income family. She grew up in a public housing project in Van Nuys, where she experienced firsthand the effects of poverty and systemic racism. Cullors' early life was marked by struggles with homelessness and incarceration, which would later inform her activism. She attended Grover Cleveland High School and later enrolled in University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she studied sociology and African American studies. During her time at UCLA, Cullors became involved in various social justice organizations, including the Labor/Community Strategy Center and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

● Activism and Career

Cullors' activism began in her teenage years, when she joined the Bus Riders Union, a grassroots organization fighting for transportation justice in Los Angeles. She later worked with the Coalition to End Sheriff Violence, a group advocating for police reform and prison abolition. In 2011, Cullors co-founded the Dignity and Power Now coalition, which aimed to support incarcerated individuals and their families. Her work with these organizations laid the groundwork for her future activism, including her involvement in the Black Lives Matter movement. Cullors has also worked with notable activists, such as Angela Davis and Cornel West, and has been influenced by the work of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

● Black Lives Matter Co-Founding

In 2013, Cullors co-founded Black Lives Matter (BLM) with Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi, in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the trayvon martin case. The movement quickly gained momentum, with BLM chapters springing up across the United States. Cullors played a key role in shaping the movement's message and strategy, using her experience as a queer black woman to inform her activism. She has been involved in various BLM campaigns, including the Ferguson protests and the Baltimore uprising. Cullors has also worked with other social justice organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Organization for Women (NOW).

● Artistic and Literary Work

In addition to her activism, Cullors is a talented artist and writer. She has published several books, including When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir, which she co-authored with Asha Bandele. Cullors has also written for various publications, including The Guardian and The New York Times. Her artistic work includes performance art and installation art, which often explores themes of identity, trauma, and resilience. Cullors has exhibited her work at various galleries and museums, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Studio Museum in Harlem. She has been influenced by the work of Kerry James Marshall and Mickalene Thomas, among other artists.

● Social Justice Advocacy

Cullors is a vocal advocate for social justice and human rights. She has worked on various campaigns, including the Fight for $15 and the Campaign for Black Male Achievement. Cullors has also been involved in the prison abolition movement, advocating for the decarceration of incarcerated individuals and the reform of the criminal justice system. She has worked with organizations such as the ACLU and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to advance these goals. Cullors has also been a vocal critic of systemic racism and police brutality, and has called for greater accountability and transparency within law enforcement agencies.

● Awards and Recognition

Cullors has received numerous awards and honors for her activism and artistic work. In 2016, she was named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. Cullors has also received the NAACP's Chairman's Award and the Gloria Steinem Award for Women of Vision. She has been recognized by organizations such as the National Women's Law Center and the Human Rights Campaign for her advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ+ individuals and women of color. Cullors' work continues to inspire and empower individuals around the world, and she remains a leading voice in the fight for social justice and human rights.