A founding member of Black Lives Matter — Toronto is facing conflict-of-interest allegations after the York Federation of Students donated thousands of dollars to the activist group.

Alexandria Williams, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter — Toronto (BLM), is also Vice-President Equity for York University’s student union.

During her tenure on the executive, the York Federation of Students (YFS) made two donations to BLM, totalling $7500.

Williams moved the resolution that triggered the second donation.

“As long as there is injustice happening in our society, the YFS will support and stand in solidarity with all oppressed groups,” said YFS president Chenthoori Malankov. “The YFS is a democratic organization and our members have the right to put forth motions and it will be discussed.”

The first donation — $2,500 — to BLM was approved in August 2015.

According to the agenda from the meeting — held privately at the York University Student Centre — the student politicians were to consider a motion moved by Williams to write letters on behalf of the YFS to Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders, Toronto Mayor John Tory and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne condemning the police practice of carding.

A separate motion, moved by another member of the YFS executive, Huda Alsarraj, dealt with BLM — “whereas black people are in a state of emergency,” it read — and the student group resolved to donate $2500 to the cause.

A year later, it is unclear who voted in favour of the motion or whether there was any debate about the donation. Malankov would not provide those details.

The second donation was approved at the YFS’s annual general meeting on Nov. 30, 2015.

The agenda shows that Williams moved that the student federation donate another $1000 to BLM. Another member of the YFS — it remains unclear who because the minutes of this meeting have also not been ratified and published — amended the motion to bring the donation up to $5000.

Williams — who at the time of that vote held the position as the YFS’ Vice-President Campus Life — or BLM did not respond to requests for comment.

Some members of the YFS feel her involvement with both the black activist group and with the student organization’s donation is inappropriate.

“I do think that it is a conflict of interest,” says Rena Silver, a student who attended the AGM.

“I believe the Black Lives Matter movement is an important one,” added Silver, president of the Israel-advocacy student group Hasbara at York. “And it certainly was not out of the question to donate money to an organization like that, but as a measure of professionalism and objectivity, someone else should have been the champion of the motion.”

Jonah Hart, a student at the Schulich School of Business, agreed. saying “Williams is frequently quoted in the media as a ‘co-founder’ of BLM-Toronto.

“Because this is clearly the case, her vote at the AGM to donate $5,000 to her own organization could not possibly have been impartial or for the benefit of the YFS.”

Malankov rejects the claim that Williams is in a conflict of interest.

And Daniel Paterson, a student politician and former Glendon College director, agreed with Malankov.

He noted Williams was open about her involvement in BLM during her campaign for a spot on the student federation executive, and sees no issue with the union’s support for the activist group,

When the YFS approved the $5,000 donation, Williams publicly stated her affiliation to BLM and urged students to look at the website for more information about the group. Since minutes have not yet become public, it is unclear whether she voted in favour of the donation.

In the case of the previous $2,500 donation, minutes have not been made public. It is unknown how Williams voted or whether she made any comment about her affiliations at the time.

Barbara Joy, chief spokesman for York University, said the YFS is an autonomous student body that sets its own policies and procedures.