The Flywire

help regarding the murder a teen slain in Ferguson, Missouri ‒ Michael Brown Jr. Moved with compassion, he became the Brown family's spiritual advisor and began working with local leaders to take a stand against another act of injus- ce. With the ground swell of #Black- LivesMa er mo o, Bryant kicked off a Bal more City town hall mee ng called, "Now What Bal more?" A full discus- sion commenced on the issue of police brutality, joblessness and the school- to-prison pipeline. Days later, the AME denomina on announced the "Black Sunday Campaign." Empowerment Temple church led the African American church-driven campaign by staging a city wide die-in and march to protest the Michael Brown police killing. November 27, 2014 ‒ Just a few weeks later, Bryant launched the #HandsUpDon'tSpend na onal economic mobiliza on campaign. The effort kicked off on Thanksgiving Day and concluded Cyber Monday, December 2, 2014. Tens of thousands of supporters par cipated as consumers were encouraged to refrain from spending during the most highly- an cipated shopping season of the year. Black Friday sales had been projected to exceed prior year sales by 3%. Instead, sales plunged 11% in part because of the economic boyco launched over that Thanksgiving weekend. With the apparent success of the#HandsUpDon'tSpend cam- paign, a na onal union, wan ng to demand decent wages for Walmart workers, sought Bryant's assistance. He accepted the chal- lenge and enlarged his police brutality message to in- clude econom- ic inequality. the Violence, Start Love. Hands Up Don't Spend\ MICHAEL BROWN [ SANDRA BLAND oneself [ SOCIAL ACTIVIST MOVEMENT ERIC GARNER [ FREDDIE GRAYo]neself TRAYVON MARTINoneself

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