A Legal Setback for the Fearless Fund

Once again, the courts have denied Black people in our quest to gain economic prosperity through access to capital to close the wealth gap. A U.S. federal court of appeals panel suspended the grant for Black women business owners by the Atlanta-based Fearless Fund. Less than 1% of these funds go to black women and nonprofits to help society repair its past wrongs. Actions like this destroy efforts to gain equity and reparations by creating pushback in the name of white supremacy.??

The ruling was the result of legal action brought by conservative activists in the American Alliance for Equal Rights, the same group that targeted and ended affirmative action in college admissions. Actions by both the court and these conservative activists are a direct attack on equity work. Economic discrimination has long been a tactic to undermine and control minority communities. Programs like those led by the Fearless Fund are some of the only means Black women have to support their business.?

The argument used by these conservative activists is shallow: claiming that these funds discriminate based on race, while in truth they are? ones creating the polarity in this conflict. It is a thinly veiled attempt to ensure white supremacy remains the objective of every social, economic, and political policy and agenda.

The fact remains: economic injustice is one of the key fights in anti-racist work. Conflicts like the court challenge to the Fearless Fund prove there is still much work to be done. Efforts like this undermine Black women to become entrepreneurs and achieve economic prosperity. As we continue the good fight, we should expect to come under more fire as we advocate for the BIPOC community to gain equity and achieve prosperity.?