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| THE BIG STORY
Yale astronomers questioned systemic racism because they hired one Black employee 35 years ago, emails show.
In the email exchange last Wednesday, which was obtained by BuzzFeed News, Richard Larson, a professor emeritus, wrote “We haven’t seen many Ella Greenes,” referring to Ella Greene, an administrative employee whom he said was its first, and so far only, Black office staffer.
Steinbach Hall on Yale's campus, which is home to the astronomy department. Checkmate24 / Wikimedia Larson also questioned a colleague’s assertion that systemic racism existed in the department.
Students and researchers condemned these remarks, saying that the hiring of one Black person does not cancel out the department’s historic lack of racial diversity, and that the racist emails were indicative of how Black people are systematically excluded from science.
STAYING ON TOP OF THIS
The Minnesota Freedom Fund raised over $30 million after George Floyd’s death. Now it’s a target.
The small local bail fund that was started in 2016 has found itself in the middle of online controversy about Black Lives Matter groups after left-wing activists and right-wing agitators both attacked a disclosure that the group had so far spent just $200,000 of some $35 million raised for a bail fund.
Jared Mollenkof, a board member, said the explanation for the relatively small sum the fund had spent is that the group has had just a few weeks to build out a tiny operation. The fund also says it has bailed out all of the protesters it could find.
Groups associated with the Black Lives Matter movement have received millions after the death of George Floyd, bringing increased pressure from donors who want to know how their money will be spent, and from BLM opponents eager to make their work appear nefarious.
SNAPSHOTS
The Aunt Jemima brand is changing its name and image after admitting it's based on a racist stereotype.
“THE PURPOSE IS BIGGER THAN US”
The Black Lives Matter protests have no central leaders — so groups like this one are taking things into their own hands
Warriors in the Garden was the result of Joseph Martinez starting a group chat on Signal and adopting the name from a Japanese proverb.
Members of the Warriors in the Garden group. Top row, from left: Derrick Ingram and Kiara Williams. Bottom row: Olivia Johnson and Chi Ossé; Aundre Larrow for BuzzFeed News Warriors in the Garden is just one of the groups that have popped up in New York, already amassing thousands of Instagram followers and drawing large crowds. Behind the scenes, the organizers have planned routes, navigated the presence of police officers, maintained momentum, and tried to keep everyone safe.
GIVE ‘EM THE OL’ RAZZLE DAZZLE
A man has raised over $10,000 to tap-dance over his downstairs MAGA neighbor and says he's donating all the proceeds
When Jett Croisant noticed his downstairs neighbor had put up Trump signs in their window during the protests, he decided to post his own. It read, "Venmo @Jet513 and I will tapdance at midnight."
Croisant told BuzzFeed News he "did it for the humor" and "expected to get $3'' from anyone who would see his sign IRL. That's until his neighbor took a photo of it and posted it to her Twitter — now he's received over $10,000.
Jett Croisant He was previously planning to tap-dance last Wednesday, the same day he posted the sign. But as more funds come in, he's waiting to raise more money and is planning to donate all the funds to the ACLU.
"I'm a little taken aback by the whole thing," Croisant said. But overall he added that he "love[s] that people are having fun with it."
Treat yourself to something great this Wednesday, Ayanna P.S. If you like this newsletter, help keep our reporting free for all. Support BuzzFeed News by becoming a member here. (monthly memberships are available worldwide) 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Ayanna Miller and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.
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