He sits on the executive committee of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party. But his activist organization has reportedly endorsed U.S. Sen. Robert Portman, the Republican incumbent.
Mixon is president of Black Lives Matter in Cuyahoga County. But his group isn’t affiliated with the national network whose name it wears.
“We’ve posted events on their calendar but they never followed through with the process of making us an official chapter,” Mixon wrote, via an email address identified as “Elijah Keen.” “We are, however, strongly affiliated with Jesus Christ and are strongly devoted to the cause of realizing a ‘just society composed of just men and women.'”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Mixon produces and hosts “The Urban Pundit” radio show. He also claims to be program director of New City, Inc., a “non-profit organization in the state of Ohio.” But the New City wasn’t listed in the IRS database of charitable organizations.
Nevertheless, the press sees Mixon as a credible source. He’s been quoted by the Akron Beacon Journal, as well as by Fox 8 News.
Maybe that’s because of the group’s Facebook page. BLM in Cuyahoga County calls itself a “social, economic and environmental advocacy group; affiliated with progressive unions, women and immigrant rights organizations and Black Lives Matters.” (sic)
But only the group called Black Lives Matter in Cleveland is actually affiliated with the national network. That group’s spokesperson is Latonya Goldsby – a cousin of Tamir Rice – who was curt when asked about Mixon’s group.
“This is not our chapter nor are we affiliated with them,” Goldsby said in an email. “The Black Lives Matter Network that we represent is not connected with this organization.”
Ironically, neither group will play nice when it comes to protesting at the RNC.
The Cleveland chapter reportedly refused to apply for a permit to protest.
“Applying for the right to protest takes away from the spirit of the protest movement,’’ Cleveland chapter organizer Kareem Henton told USA Today.
Mixon’s group is boycotting the March Against Poverty, a protest coordinated by several local groups that is scheduled for July 18.
As for his support of Portman? The Cuyahoga County Democratic party was surprised to hear a member of its executive committee was supporting Portman. Like all executive committee members, Mixon is bound by the Democratic Party’s unity clause, which forbids supporting a “non-Democratic” candidate.
But the Democrats Party Unity Committee would have to determine whether Mixon actually violated the clause – and what kind of sanction he might garner – according to deputy director Lillian Sharpley.
This article appears in Jul 13-19, 2016.
This happened before. When the Black Panther Party for Self Defense in California gained national attention in 1966, a lot of local groups sprang up in cities across the country and called themselves Black Panthers. Some tried to emulate the real organization; some were just old gangs that adopted a new name. Lazy reporters were often duped into giving the local copy cats an official stature that was not warranted.
Mixon – Why are you asking for raciest action before the event happens. YOU are the racist. Do you think the world is going to respect you for your racist words and anti (everything) actions. NO! You do not get any appreciation from us folks trying to make it in this fucking messes up world . STOP making it worse.
I cannot help but wonder at the fact that seemingly thousands of young African Americans and their supporters have the time and money to engage in demonstrations, civil disobedience, in some cases indulge in consuming illegal substances and carry signs stating black lives matter. If they have the leisure time to carry on in this vein they have the time to make their own individual lives matter…get educated, get a job and each make his or her own individual life matter. This generation is spoiled beyond reckoning. There’s a lot of self-indulgence in Black Lives Matter. No one has success handed to them on a platter. Get educated and get to work. MAKE YOUR OWN LIFE MATTER.
MM you’re making a very large assumption that these folks are not ARLEADY educated and are gainfully employed.
MLK spent a lot of time protesting, too. Pretty sure he had a job, home, family and PhD.
Today I learned that protesting is apparently tied in socioeconomic status as well as drug use.
MM you took the time to post bigot comments online when you are likely an unemployed, meth addled, hack. Why not use this time to get a job?
As far as the “how do protestors have time to protest if employed” issue, well, many of these groups who protest major events actually hire and often pay people $12-15 per hour to participate. So even though activists seemingly hold up their signs proudly, many of them may in fact not even care about what the rally is for.
And I’m not against black lives matter at all, however, the group seems to unite and hit the streets before all the facts are even looked at by them. To me, that’s pretty dangerous as a society, and shows that they may not have matured enough yet.