Kendrick Sampson (kendrick38), 'Insecure' actor and founder of activist group BLD PWR, is a leader of ongoing Black Lives Matter protests
"Pressure in the streets is important," explains Sampson, who stars on HBO's. He says he has lost count of the number of demonstrations he has attended. He points to the ongoing protest, led every Wednesday by BLMLA, in front of the downtown office of L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey to oppose her lack of prosecution of violent police officers.
Sampson estimates that BLD PWR is co-organizing two protests a week, including a July 1 protest at L.A. City Hall. "We are still a small team," says Sampson of BLD PWR, which has just one full-time staff member, associate director Lacy Lew Nguyen Wright. It also recently launched a mental health initiative, creating a guide to services, hotlines and support groups.
Sampson is quick to underline that BLD PWR is taking cues from other organizations and activists, including Color of Change, Students Deserve and Black Lives Matter co-founders Melina Abdullah and Patrisse Cullors . "I'm an actor. I'm a storyteller," says Sampson. "The way that [BLD PWR] operates is by amplifying and supporting organizers, by helping to organize Hollywood.
On June 23, BLD PWR spearheaded "Hollywood 4 Black Lives," an open letter to "our allies in the industry," which outlined how entertainment can divest from the police and invest in Black talent and business. Queen Latifah, Zoë Kravitz and Octavia Spencer were among the signees. While he welcomes increased interest from entertainment companies, Sampson notes, "I'm not going to lie — I wish we had it before.
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