Black Lives Matter Movement Fights to Change Policy, City by City

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has been advocating for policy changes for years. According to Johnny Magdaleno, "they proposed policies that took a page out of progressive theories on urban development that would reverberate across the spectrum of race and class at the city level." Their goals include, "Shifting more federal funds out of police departments and into employment programs. Favoring community-based sustainable energy projects that employ neighbors," Magdaleno details. The movement, which is national has had success in targeting local politics, "influencing policymakers in the cities where M4BL’s main players operate: New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Washington, D.C., Sacramento, Portland, Ferguson and a handful of others."

The election of Donald Trump and the federal government's adoption of his policy goals has presented a new suite of challenges. One example Magdaleno points out is "[Trump's] appointment to run the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Ben Carson, has expressed inconsistent opinions about federal assistance programs for low-income and underserved communities." While Ben Carson's appointment is only one of the many challenges the election of President Trump presents to the movement many hope that the divisive leader can motivate action from progressive citizens around the country.