Unbroken Promise Initiative is an organization affiliated with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement that was formed by Jordan Clemons, ¹ one of the leaders of the 2020 BLM protests in Ithaca, New York. ²

Finances

Unbroken Promise Initiative does not have tax records for 2021 other than the IRS “e-Postcard” because it received under $50,000 in gross receipts that year. ³

In filings with the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency, the organization stated that in 2022 it received $415,000 in contributions, made $403,232 in expenditures, and held $11,768 in net assets. ⁴ In the same filing, the organization stated that in 2023 it received $2,797,500 in contributions from the city of Ithaca. ⁵

In 2023, the organization’s GoFundMe page listed that it received $29,359 in contributions since 2020. ⁶

Demands

In 2020, the Unbroken Promise Initiative sent a letter to the Ithaca Police Department demanding the “defunding” and “reformative overhaul” of the police department. ⁷ The organization also made more specific demands, including the elimination of the Ithaca Police Department’s SWAT team, removal of rifles such as AR-15s from police inventories, and eliminating alleged corruption within the department. ⁸

Housing Project

In 2022, Unbroken Promise Initiative, under the project name Geno Legacy Project, applied for a $150,000 grant to provide blocks of $15,000 to $25,000 mortgage assistance and home repair assistance to an unspecified number of low-income families in Ithaca, NY. ⁹ In support of its application, the organization stated that it is seeking the grant to further its purpose of “empower[ing] all disenfranchised citizens through community education aimed at healing racial, domestic, or other trauma[.]” ¹¹ Clemmons was named the best “social justice advocate” of 2020 in Ithaca, New York for his role in Black Lives Matter demonstrations. ¹²

Clemons has admitted to having been a crack cocaine dealer in the past, ¹³ and to having supplied crack cocaine to his mother. ¹⁴ Clemmons has stated that just as he recognizes that his actions were wrong, the officers of the Ithaca Police Department should “reflect on the system they are a part of” and resign from their positions. ¹⁵ Clemmons has commented on the future existence of police departments: “F*ck your reforms, the system needs to go. If it’s going to continue to exist, it continues on our terms.” ¹⁶

1. “About Us.” Unbroken Promise Initiative. https://www.unbroken.us/
2. Rodgers, Arleigh and Vancampen, Bryan. “Best of Ithaca 2020: People” Ithaca.com October 6, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.ithaca.com/special_sections/best_of_ithaca/best-of-ithaca-2020-people/article_de2b6884-0337-11eb-9f5c-8b4f44f7c112.html?fbclid=IwAR3z9l7754dDUPNebiT_hmsWsBCMuDCLDVAxL3JzKUNXdL0Tz7Cqw44b2VE
3.  Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-N (e-Postcard)). Unbroken Promise Initiative. 2021.
4. “Unbroken Promise Initiative HUD Entitlement Program Funding Application” Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency. 2022. http://www.cityofithaca.org/DocumentCenter/View/13598/08—Unbroken-Promise-Initiative—Geno-Legacy-Project—Application—Housing
5. “Unbroken Promise Initiative HUD Entitlement Program Funding Application” Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency. 2022.http://www.cityofithaca.org/DocumentCenter/View/13598/08—Unbroken-Promise-Initiative—Geno-Legacy-Project—Application—Housing
6. “Unbroken Promise Initiative” gofundme. https://www.gofundme.com/f/unbroken-promise-initiative?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=widget&utm_campaign=p_cp%2Bshare-sheet
7. Buttler, Matt. “Activists send second letter of demands to Ithaca Police Department.” Ithaca.com July 12, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/activists-send-second-letter-of-demands-to-ithaca-police-department/article_79f5632c-c48c-11ea-9a48-a7303d575225.html
8. Buttler, Matt. “Activists send second letter of demands to Ithaca Police Department.” Ithaca.com July 12, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/activists-send-second-letter-of-demands-to-ithaca-police-department/article_79f5632c-c48c-11ea-9a48-a7303d575225.html
9. “Unbroken Promise Initiative HUD Entitlement Program Funding Application” Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency. 2022.http://www.cityofithaca.org/DocumentCenter/View/13598/08—Unbroken-Promise-Initiative—Geno-Legacy-Project—Application—Housing
11. “Unbroken Promise Initiative HUD Entitlement Program Funding Application” Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency. 2022.http://www.cityofithaca.org/DocumentCenter/View/13598/08—Unbroken-Promise-Initiative—Geno-Legacy-Project—Application—Housing[/note

    Leadership

    Jordan Clemons is the president and founder and leader of the Unbroken Promise Initiative. ¹⁰ “Unbroken Promise Initiative-Finally President and Founder” Facebook. July 7, 2021. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=327989465628592&set=pb.100069086856954.-2207520000.

12. Rodgers, Arleigh and Vancampen, Bryan. “Best of Ithaca 2020: People” Ithaca.com October 6, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.ithaca.com/special_sections/best_of_ithaca/best-of-ithaca-2020-people/article_de2b6884-0337-11eb-9f5c-8b4f44f7c112.html?fbclid=IwAR3z9l7754dDUPNebiT_hmsWsBCMuDCLDVAxL3JzKUNXdL0Tz7Cqw44b2VE
13. Buttler, Matt. “Activists send second letter of demands to Ithaca Police Department.” Ithaca.com July 12, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/activists-send-second-letter-of-demands-to-ithaca-police-department/article_79f5632c-c48c-11ea-9a48-a7303d575225.html
14. Buttler, Matt. “Activists send second letter of demands to Ithaca Police Department.” Ithaca.com July 12, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/activists-send-second-letter-of-demands-to-ithaca-police-department/article_79f5632c-c48c-11ea-9a48-a7303d575225.html
15. Buttler, Matt. “Activists send second letter of demands to Ithaca Police Department.” Ithaca.com July 12, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/activists-send-second-letter-of-demands-to-ithaca-police-department/article_79f5632c-c48c-11ea-9a48-a7303d575225.html
16. Buttler, Matt. “Activists send second letter of demands to Ithaca Police Department.” Ithaca.com July 12, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/activists-send-second-letter-of-demands-to-ithaca-police-department/article_79f5632c-c48c-11ea-9a48-a7303d575225.html