BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN DEMAND: Brett Favre and All Involved be held accountable in the Alleged Mississippi Welfare Fraud Case

It’s no secret that Black residents of Mississippi have disproportionately experienced the generational effects of anti-Black racism, Jim Crow segregation, slavery, extreme poverty, inaccessibility to quality education, and mass incarceration. 

Mississippi is home to the largest population of Black people in the United States but has the highest poverty rate in the nation. Jackson - the state’s capital city - is 82% Black and has suffered a dangerous and significant water crisis over the last several years with little to no relief. 

Recently it has come to our attention that Hall of Fame Quarterback, Brett Favre, is involved in a scandal to divert about $8 million in public funds intended for welfare recipients to a number of his personal pet projects and investments.

According to NBC News, Favre sought a $3.2 million grant for a drug company in which he was a shareholder and a $5 million award that built a volleyball arena at the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter played the sport and where he played football. 

The drug company, Prevacus, was touting treatments to mitigate the effects of concussions, although none were approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In some text messages, Favre suggested awarding shares in the drug company to Phil Bryant while he was governor.

The New York Times reported that Favre conspired with community education nonprofit leader Nancy New in a plan for Favre to receive $1.1 million from the nonprofit, supposedly for promotional appearances, that he would also funnel to the volleyball facility.

To date and in light of mounting public scrutiny, Favre has repaid $1.1 million that was owed for speeches he never gave but it is a far cry from the over eight million that was stolen during this scandal. Also, according to auditor Shad White, Favre still owes at least $228,000 in interest. 

All in all, Favre has not been criminally charged or prosecuted for his role in this crime nor has he paid anything in restitution and/or reparations to poor people in Mississippi. 

It is clear that Brett Favre’s white male privilege and celebrity status are being used as shields to protect him from accountability and criminal charges for allegedly embezzling welfare funds. This is wholly unacceptable and unconscionable. 

Brown and Black working mothers and fathers rely upon welfare benefits to provide basic needs for their children. These children and families deserve protection from welfare fraud and the predatory and shameful actions of those who orchestrated and engaged in this theft.

Thus, we, the undersigned, call upon Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch to immediately hold Brett Favre and others implicated in this scandal accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We also call upon President Joe Biden and the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene and to seek justice on behalf of low income residents of Mississippi. 

We applaud and support ESPN and SiriusXM for demonstrating corporate responsibility and pausing their sponsorships of Brett Favre’s shows in light of these harmful and egregious accusations that are coming to light. We urge them to use that same energy throughout this process. Corporations should not reward people who take food and resources out of the mouths of hungry children and families. We urge other corporations such as Copper Fit to follow suit and to act with integrity in light of this scandal by cutting ties with Brett Favre.

Thank you for your support and for joining Wayfinder Foundation's Call to Action.

Supported by:

Nekima Levy Armstrong, Esq., Executive Director of Wayfinder Foundation; Chauntyll Allen, Director of Criminal Justice Policy and Activism Wayfinder Foundation; Raeisha Williams, Director of Communications and Events Wayfinder Foundation; Shaundelle Darris Operations Coordinator Wayfinder Foundation; Myon Burrell Prison Advocacy Project Wayfinder Foundation; Jayda Pounds Operations Assistant Wayfinder Foundation; Zakiya Sankara-Jabar Director of Education Policy Wayfinder Foundation; Satara Strong, Executive Director, Love First Community Engagement; Marea Perry, Executive Director, Secrets2TruthsInc; Leslie Redmond, Founder, Don't Complain Activate; Rosemary Nevills, Founder, African American Center of Minnesota; Hashim Jabar, Co-Director, Racial Justice NOW!; Kissy Coakley, Council Member, Minnetonka MN; Titilayo Bediako, Executive Director, We Win Institute; Tracy Miller, Jackson Resident; Ramona Williams, Jackson Resident; Dianna Freelon-Foster, Activists With A Purpose Plus; Latanya Ward, Executive Director, We Are Responsible For One Another (WARFOA); Kenia Alcocer, Union de Vecinos; Yessica González, LA Wayfinder Fellow; Sumaya Aden, LA Wayfinder Fellow; Helen Jones, LA Wayfinder Fellow; Anika Bowie, President, Run Like Harriet; Kennedy Pounds, Founder, Black Poetic Justice; Lesleyanne Crosby, MoonSeed Community Collective; Mary Canty Merrill, Ph.D., Founder & CEO, iLevelUp Consulting, LLC; Monique Cullors, Black Lives Matter MN, Melina Abdullah, Los Angeles Activist, Tanesha Peeples, CEO of The Roots Initiative; Margaret Sullivan, Black Lives Matter Twin Cities; Audrena Redmond, Black Lives Matter Grassroots; Angela Austin-Waters, Black Lives Matter Grassroots; Karlene Griffiths-Sekou, Black Lives Matter

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