California leads in thought — not action — when it comes to reparations

California leads in thought — not action — when it comes to reparations

California politicians are bold when it comes to discussing reparations, but not when it comes to implementing them. The true leader of the country’s reparations movement — and the place California needs to follow — is Evanston, Ill. By Justin PhillipsFeb 11, 2024 The day before this year’s Black History Month… Continue reading

In the 2024 election cycle, Black voters should show their support is tied to the advancement of reparations

In the run-up to the hectic 2024 election season, Black Californians must seize this moment to ensure that reparations remain a nonnegotiable demand in the political arena. Justin Phillips Nov. 5, 2023 (SFChronicle.com) California’s reparations movement, painstakingly built over the past two years and fueled by dramatic public hearings that… Continue reading

THE EMOTIONAL TOLL OF STUDYING REPARATIONS: A LOOK INTO CALIFORNIA’S JOURNEY

With the academic aspect of their work now over, California reparations advocates are just coming to grips with the impact the last two years have had on their lives. Justin Phillips July 30, 2023 (SFChronicle.com) When Black folks testified before the state’s reparations task force about the long-term financial disadvantages… Continue reading

‘The Mississippi of the West’: Yes, California owes Black residents reparations

OPINION Chronicle Editorial Board July 6, 2023 (SFChronicle.com) In September of 1963, California lawmakers passed a bill that should have marked a historic moment in the American civil rights movement. After decades of formal and informal policies designed to keep people of color — especially Black Californians —  confined to segregated and… Continue reading

California’s reparations process wasn’t pretty — but could yield important lessons for the rest of the country

Dustin Gardiner May 17, 2023 (SFChronicle.com) At first glance, the meetings of California’s reparations task force were often an exercise in turmoil. Task force members regularly traded personal barbs and squabbled over procedural motions, even as the eyes of the country were on them. When they weren’t fighting amongst themselves, they were… Continue reading

No, California wouldn’t pay reparations to every Black resident. Here’s how compensation would be limited

Dustin Gardiner May 8, 2023 (SFChronicle.com) California’s reparations task force has completed the central piece of its work, voting during the weekend to approve a plan to compensate some Black residents for the state’s role in enabling slavery and other forms of white supremacy. Yet even after the final vote, confusion… Continue reading