Melissa Ross
The social justice group Dream Defenders sent an email to stakeholders and media outlets explaining that the organization’s current social media blackout is “being intentional about our next steps.”
According to Rachel Gilmer, new chief of strategy for the organization, the group will soon launch the FREE Campaign, “a membership-driven effort that begins with a statewide listening project in our neighborhoods, research on revolutionary groups throughout history, and a deep dive of the political landscape that we are up against. By year’s end we will begin developing plans for intra-local campaigns that build power and win victories.”
The money quote from Gilmer:
“The concept of freedom has been stolen from us by our oppressors. They speak of liberty and justice to assert their legal right to exploit Black and Brown people around the world in order to fatten their wallets and expand their control. It is about time we took freedom back.”
The Florida-based social justice group caused a stir in the #BlackLivesMatter movement when it recently announced a two-month break from online activism. Their argument: a social media following does not take the place of actual organizing.
The Dream Defenders also recently added a number of high-profile names to its advisory board.
