An anonymous group of Boston graduate students is stepping up to help members of their community
Boston Direct Action, an anonymous fundraising project run by local grad students, is providing financial support to those who need it most. Giving prioritization to BIPOC and the homeless, recipients may apply for assistance through a link on the group’s instagram. The project, which was started in August, has amassed nearly $15,000 in aid for ten different people.
The creator began the anonymous fundraising project to try to avoid the social gain and recognition that they were experiencing when raising money on their personal social media accounts. “It is our core value that the person behind the curtain does not matter. It is about the person in need receiving the funds,” the group explains. “We are not saviors. We are just people posting on instagram so other people can have resources for what they are already capable of.”
Unlike many fundraising projects, Boston Direct Action does not hold onto funds for a period of time. The group posts the recipient’s Venmo or Cash App on their social media, along with a deadline and a brief explanation of their situation. This is partly to account for the fact that there is no way for them to prove accountability with funds due to their anonymity. It’s also so that all funds are immediately and directly available to those that are in need. The group emphasizes that the recipients aren’t always in a place where they can wait for this aid, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Funds allow direct, immediate help…for those who are facing eviction, homelessness, trying to maintain custody of their children, and more,” said a member of the team. They also explain that those in need don’t need overseers to hold onto money that could be helping them immediately. “We believe that those experiencing hardship often have autonomy taken from them; we want that autonomy returned to them.”
One recipient, a black, latinx, trans woman escaping from an abusive home, says she appreciated that the funds were sent directly and immediately to her due to the severity of her situation. “I was able to go back to school, and now I have money to move out of my home comfortably.” The recipient, who wishes to remain anonymous, says that she was apprehensive to apply at first due to the group’s anonymity, but ultimately felt like the project was legitimate. “I was a little skeptical, but their replies were quick and didn’t seem like an automated message. It felt like real people who wanted to help out those in need.”
Boston Direct Action is currently holding four open fundraisers for local recipients. Links to donate can be found on the group’s instagram at @bostondirectaction, or their twitter at @engagedirectly.
Anna Brosnihan, Emerson College Journalism
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