Investigating the harm of systemic racial injustice toward African Americans
Reparations have recently been a hot topic nationwide. California passed AB-3121, the first bill of its kind to create a task force to investigate the harm of systemic racial injustice toward African Americans and potential compensation. The CA Reparations Task Force is a mix of impacted community members, academics, legal experts, activists, and politicians. They have two years to present their findings.
On 6/15/21 the Sacramento City Council voted to have a special ceremonial resolution recognizing this historic bill, and all the Sacramento locals who contributed to its passing.
Kim Mims of the American Redress Coalition of California authored the resolution for City Council which includes: 1. Acknowledgment of the creation of the reparations task force and passage law on state level (first of its kind) 2. Acknowledgment of the work of people in Sacramento who made that happened since early 2019
3. Acknowledgement in its own complicity in racism and system injustice toward African Americans (that part)
You can read the resolution here: (and on the images below)
Council comments:
Vice Mayor Jay Schenirer (D5) headed up the topic with a sentiment of a willingness to right the wrongs of racism and systemic injustice in Sacramento.
CM Mai Vang (D8) added to the conversation that this is a wide and vast issue we need to tackle.
CM Katie Valenzuela (D4) pledged to stick with the task force for the whole process.
CMs Sean Loloee (D2), and Eric Guerra (D6) both also had words of support.
Steinberg had some nice words.
CM Rick Jennings II (D7), after reflecting on the dictionary definition of “reparations” thinks many would be okay with “just an acknowledgment,” (nah bruh) and CM Angelique Ashby just wanted to reiterate that there was no reason to take roll before voting since it’s just “ceremonial.” (eye roll) At the end of the conversation, the motion passed unanimously.
Our take: this is coo and all...we want to see this commitment to repairing harms reflected in City policies like the cannabis "equity" program, policing budget, etc. Video clip from the meeting