*Buckle up, because this is going to be one bumpy, bulky ride. This investigation took me FOREVER to put together, and I’m pretty sure I still haven’t uncovered every nonprofit, foundation, and organization involved. Every time I followed one money trail, I found three more. I’m also including a massive spreadsheet tracking the organizations, funding, financial connections, and source documents I’ve uncovered. That spreadsheet is available exclusively to paid subscribers, along with the rest of this investigation. This is another one of those grab-your-coffee (add something stiffer to it) articles. You’re going to need it. Please don’t judge the writing, it’s as bumpy and bulky as the information, and even AI didn’t help smooth it out. Sigh. It was A LOT. *
Part One takes you directly into the encampments…
Let’s begin…
On April 17, 2024 students at Columbia University began pitching tents on the campus lawn. They had demands for the administration, people handling communications, lists of supplies, and supporters ready to help. The occupation would soon become a model for demonstrations at universities across the country, with similar slogans, demands, and organizing methods appearing from New York to California.
Across New York City, an activist organization called The People’s Forum was promoting the Columbia encampment. It encouraged supporters to bring supplies, recruit sympathetic professors, and contribute toward legal assistance. The organization had experienced staff, an established political network, and millions of dollars flowing through its nonprofit operations.
