ImpactAlpha, February 21 — COMMUNITYx has raised $2 million to connect global activists to petitions, events and fundraising campaigns around racial justice, climate change, LGBTQIA+ and women’s rights, and health and human rights.
The San Jose-based company raised more than $1.2 million for the mother of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old Black man who was fatally beaten by Memphis police officers last month. “COMMUNITYx worked with Memphis activists to help mobilize over 500,000 people to take action on Justice4Tyre, gained thousands of petition signatures, and worked with local activists to achieve initial demands in Tyre’s case,” said Arian Simone of Fearless Fund, which led the seed investment round in the social network.
Racial justice activism
The Black and brown women-led tech venture was co-founded by Chloë Cheyenne, whose father Andrew Sledd, a Black man, was shot over a dozen times by Chicago undercover cops inside of his home in March 1989. By the time the police realized they had the wrong address on their search warrant, Sledd was bleeding on the floor. 34 years later, he remains physically handicapped with one of the bullets still lodged in his spine.
Inclusive capital
COMMUNITYx will use the financing to add corporate and philanthropic partners to its online platform. Other investors in the round include Goodwater Capital, Techstars and Black Ambition, a nonprofit founded by Grammy Award-winning singer Pharrell Williams. NBA alums Baron Davis and Matt Barnes also invested. COMMUNITYx has raised $3.1 million to date.
