The Black Lives Matter Vancouver chapter is a cause that supports the organizing work of black folks and allies in undoing systemic racialized violence. Black Lives Matter is a cause cognizant of the ongoing struggles of all marginalized folks and we strive to honour that in the work we do. We centre the voices of Black folks as well as other folks of colour and hope to lift up those who are queer, women, trans, differently abled, poor or otherwise marginalized.

Our work is taking place on Coast Salish territories and most of our organizing is currently being done on the traditional, ancestral and unceded land of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.

As a small group of Black activists residing in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia we want to draw attention to our largely inivisibilized communities, celebrate people of colour and work in solidarity with other Black Lives Matter chapters across North America. We also want to encourage and foster the creation of other chapters within Canada.

#BlackLivesMatter  was originally created by Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi and Alicia Garza as “a call to action for Black people after 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was post-humously placed on trial for his own murder and the killer, George Zimmerman, was not held accountable for the crime he committed. It was a response to the anti-Black racism that permeates our society and also, unfortunately, our movements.”

The land we are on

The origins of our cause