Black Veterans Project

Friday was an incredibly historic day as Monk v. United States, a legal case that was the strategic vision of Black Veterans Project, Yale Law School (under the leadership of Mike Wishnie) and National Veterans Council for Legal Redress, Inc.(NVCLR), became one of few federal reparations cases to survive a motion to dismiss in American history! “Monk v. United States is the most important legal case reckoning with the legacy of racial discrimination against Black veterans in our nation’s history,” said Richard Brookshire, CEO & Co-Founder of Black Veterans Project. “Since its inception, the Department of Veterans Affairs has designed and implemented its benefits programs to reinforce our nation’s racial caste system – neglecting its moral, ethical and legal responsibility to intervene to ensure racism was not a barrier to accessing home loans, education benefits and disability compensation. The consequence has been dire, resulting in hundreds of billions in economic loss to Black veterans and their families since World War II. The court’s ruling denying VA’s motion to dismiss is a historic step toward justice. Black Veterans Project stands in solidarity with Mr. Monk and looks forward to working collaboratively to make reparations real in our lifetime.” “Mr. Monk’s story mirrors the struggles of millions of Black veterans who have faced institutional barriers to accessing the benefits they are rightfully owed. Decades of exclusionary government practices have contributed to generational economic disparities for Black veterans and their families,” said Daniele A., Co-Founder, Black Veterans Project. “I hope the advancement of Monk v. United States spurs a broader societal recognition of the systemic barriers that have impeded Black veterans' from accessing tools to build wealth for themselves and their families. We stand with Mr. Monk, knowing that every step forward in this legal battle moves us beyond platitudes honoring the sacrifice of Black Veterans to restorative measures that rectify these injustices.” “The decision to allow the Monk case to proceed is a seminal moment in American history. The District Court of Connecticut, in deciding to adjudicate Mr. Monk’s claims on the merits, legitimized one of many storied harms levied on African Americans,” said Daniel Walker, Black Veterans Project Board of Directors. “The disparate treatment of Black veterans can no longer be waived away as conjecture or purely anecdotal; it is now a matter of statistical fact and judicial debate. Monk v. United States represents a step toward justice for all veterans and a leap forward in redressing past harms suffered by African Americans at the hands of racially discriminatory systems. Black Veterans Project is honored to serve in furtherance of that cause.” https://lnkd.in/exrR3N3C

Last week, we hosted our inaugural Equity Reception, which focused on the importance of maintaining DEI in government and military institutions. Big thanks to Jimmy Anderson for being our emcee, and Daniel Walker (board member), Julia Metcalf, PhD (she/her), Claradith E. L., and Sonia Kumar for joining our CEO, Richard Brookshire, on stage. Another big thank you to Kimberly Douglas, Kristen Temple, and the team at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company for hosting us; it was a beautiful event space. Immense gratitude to everyone who donated, attended, or both. This work takes a village and we’re proud to have all of you as part of ours. Watch the replay below and please consider donating if you’re inspired by our work ✨ Special thank you’s go to our COO, MaCherie Dunbar for all your work behind the scenes helping make this event a success; and to cofounders Daniele A., Zella Vanié and Kyle Bibby, and Board Members Ravi Perry and Mary L. Tobin, for your continued support and dedication to our mission. https://lnkd.in/e_TE-EhV

THIS FRIDAY, I will be joining my friends from the Black Veterans Project at our first annual Equity Reception in Washington, DC. at the Wolly Mammoth Theater Company! If you are interested in learning more about the incredible work that BVP has done and is doing to improve equitable access to the resources and benefits Black Veterans have earned, join me and experience good food, informative conversations, and great networking and connections! RSVP TODAY and meet me and more than 100 of our friends and supporters on Friday! RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/ehNnuCAy

Kyle Bibby, Richard Brookshire, and Daniel Walker joined Mike Wishnie and the incredible students at Yale Law School's Veterans Legal Services Clinic to discuss the reparations work of the Black Veterans Project, and the way litigation is being leveraged as a primary tool for advancing reparative justice. Many thanks to the American Constitution Society and Yale Black Law Students Association for their hospitality.

Excited to be at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health FXB Center’s Making the Public Health Case for Reparations Consortium meeting today. Getting to learn so much about the intersection of public health and reparative justice. Cc: George Aumoithe, PhD

LinkedIn Family - we're elated to invite you to our first annual Equity Reception in Washington D.C. on Friday, October 25th at 5:30 at the Wolly Mammoth Theater! Current threats to diversity and inclusion initiatives across the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs make it imperative to convene a critical dialogue about the state of racial and social equity facing Black veterans and military personnel. More importantly, the reception will also provide an opportunity to get acquainted with and support BVP's reparative justice work. We're thrilled to have a stellar program featuring BVP's Richard Brookshire and Daniel Walker alongside Julia Metcalf, PhD (she/her), Sonia Kumar, Claradith E. L. and Jimmy Anderson. Seating is limited and registration is required: https://lnkd.in/ehNnuCAy cc: Kyle Bibby, Ravi Perry, Alexandra Williams, Mary L. Tobin, Zella Vanié, MaCherie Dunbar

During #EmotionalWellnessMonth, we're reminded of the resilience Black veterans show not just in combat, but in the fight for justice—like Conley Monk Jr., a Marine Corps veteran who has fought for four decades against racial discrimination in the VA’s benefits system. Despite his service, Mr. Monk was unjustly denied critical VA benefits for years, facing repeated rejections for housing, education, and disability assistance. These denials took a deep emotional toll, highlighting the systemic inequities Black veterans and veterans of color endure even after their service to our country. Black Veterans Project is proud to have worked alongside Yale Law School's Veterans Legal Services Clinic to support  the landmark Monk v. U.S. case to expose and challenge racial discrimination by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This fight is not just about benefits—it's about justice, mental wellness, and the dignity of every veteran. Learn more about Conley Monk Jr.'s story and how we're fighting for equity for Black veterans below: https://lnkd.in/exrR3N3C

Happy Birthday to our co-founder and CEO, Richard Brookshire! 🎉 Thank you for all you do to amplify the voices of Black veterans. Equity for us is equity for all. ✨

This weekend marked the second anniversary of the #PACTAct being signed into law by the Biden-Harris Administration. We celebrate this landmark legislation, which has rapidly processed over 1.3 million claims and provided more than $5.7 billion in earned benefits to veterans exposed to burn pits and their survivors. Black Veterans Project played a crucial role in advocating for the PACT Act's passage in Congress. BVP’s former Senior Policy Advisor, Isiah James, was a leading voice for Black veterans, championing this critical issue. Here’s a clip from 2022 where Isiah represented the Black Veterans Project in Washington, D.C., alongside Honoring Our PACT Act advocates Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Jon Stewart, adamantly urging Congress to pass the legislation.

On this Purple Heart Day, we honor the bravery and sacrifice of those who have fought for our country. However, we must also acknowledge the systemic racial inequalities that have prevented many Black service members from receiving the Purple Heart in the same historic battles as their white counterparts. It is our duty as storytellers to ensure their stories and sacrifices are recognized and remembered. #purpleheartday