Here's another article to file under #ShadyOrganizers.
Opportunists are looking to put themselves in front of this movement, and usually at the expense of those doing the Work, often deeply connected to the victims of police violence.
Thread
thedevilstrip.com/akron-protest-…
Opportunists are looking to put themselves in front of this movement, and usually at the expense of those doing the Work, often deeply connected to the victims of police violence.
Thread
thedevilstrip.com/akron-protest-…
Good on Noor Hindi of @akrondevilstrip for digging into Shawn Mansfield. I've been tracking him for a while, but from a distance.
Earlier in the month I covered Brandon T Patterson, a different type of #ShadyOrganizer, in this @ClevelandScene piece.
bit.ly/2BjAQJ4
Earlier in the month I covered Brandon T Patterson, a different type of #ShadyOrganizer, in this @ClevelandScene piece.
bit.ly/2BjAQJ4
Brandon's shadiness was a different style than Shawn's, but functionally they are similar in how they pulled focus from and muddy the message being put out by more credible organizers. 
I was lucky enough to catch Brandon in a *Big Lie* early.
He wasn't able capitalize on the esteem his sham Tamir Rice event would have garnered from the unwitting attendees who thought he had Samaria Rice's blessing.
That woman is sharp, she saw through his BS pretty quick:
He wasn't able capitalize on the esteem his sham Tamir Rice event would have garnered from the unwitting attendees who thought he had Samaria Rice's blessing.
That woman is sharp, she saw through his BS pretty quick:
It's a shame that no such smoking gun existed with which to discredit Shawn Mansfield earlier, he just had to show himself over time.
I started looking into him after watching several livestreams of a 6/6 event.
My gut lost its shit listening to this.
I started looking into him after watching several livestreams of a 6/6 event.
My gut lost its shit listening to this.
One look at his IG, and I was even more puzzled.
A lot of materialism, womanizing, and wild conspiracy theorizing.
Activism? Not so much.
instagram.com/shawnthemodel/
A lot of materialism, womanizing, and wild conspiracy theorizing.
Activism? Not so much.
instagram.com/shawnthemodel/
Then there was his Motivators Over Imitators page, which he posted several FB events from.
MOI is "a Faith based Lifestyle in enhancement organization"
That was another "Whoa, really?" moment, realizing he was now organizing protests under the same (unintentionally ironic) name
MOI is "a Faith based Lifestyle in enhancement organization"
That was another "Whoa, really?" moment, realizing he was now organizing protests under the same (unintentionally ironic) name
Shawn intermingling his zealous beliefs with BLM is tangibly harmful. Especially so for a movement like this that is activating people to take to the streets for the first time.
It ain't great if those first-timers get handed a flyer full of guano from the organizers.
It ain't great if those first-timers get handed a flyer full of guano from the organizers.
The Mansfield piece echoes similar frustrations I have heard from @BLM_216 and other experience organizers about wildcat newbies taking the spotlight.
Kareem Henton of @BLM_216 offered up the following advice to anyone unsure of where to devote their time, money, and attention in the movement for Black Lives.
