Black Lives Matter on Boards
By Zachary Gabriel Green, Ph.D.
AABLI Board Leadership Training Faculty
Professor of Practice, Leadership Studies, University of San Diego
The #BlackLivesMatter movement began in 2012 as a mere social media hashtag in response to the killing of Trayvon Martin and the non-conviction of his assailant. As the list of unarmed Black people who died in the face of police excess or under mysterious circumstances grew, a diverse array of strategists and activists responded to the call of the founders of this Internet effort. Further inspired to action by the death of Mike Brown in Ferguson, a national movement was born. #BlackLivesMatter moved from seats at a computer to feet on the streets. Since that time, #BLM has become arguably the most powerful and prominent “ideological and political intervention” on issues affecting Black people in the United States.