How a Queen Gets Duped

I remember reading it for the first time and I had to read it repeatedly to be sure that I was understanding what I saw accurately:

In 2010, Beyoncé donated her entire salary (approximately $4mil) from Cadillac Records to Phoenix House to open a Cosmetology Center in Brooklyn, and pledged to continue to donate $100,000 annually. It was reported that Beyoncé spent two weeks in a Phoenix House facility to prepare for her role in Cadillac Records playing Etta James, who is believed to have struggled with heroin use.

I can’t imagine Beyoncé doing any of this with clear understanding that Phoenix House was founded on Church of Synanon principles and practices, they’ve been abusing children and adults, particularly those who are incarcerated and discriminating against marginalized populations since the 60s. Maybe she went into this fully aware that her involvement is problematic and gives impression of approval of their program, particularly given the dozens on dozens of civil rights suits, primarily by people of color, that have been brought against Phoenix House over the years. In 2013, a transgender woman who was discriminated against by Phoenix House filed suit against them.

Anti-Trans Discrimination Is Rampant at NYC Substance Abuse Centers

What I would like to see at this point is the plan to help those *harmed* by Phoenix House over the past forty years, including the people Beyoncé thought she would be helping with the Cosmetology school and annual donation over the past ten years. I know that if it were me, I would be pretty pissed that what the exact amount I donated, 4. Million. Dollars. is the amount that New York State Comptroller DiNapoli asked the Attorney General to recover last year. Not to mention the embezzlement in 2013.

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