California lawmakers are proposing reparations, but not cash payments

After the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked social justice protests and a racial reckoning in the summer of 2020, California created a task force to explore the issue of reparations.

a panel of nine members has investigated the harm done to the state’s approximately 2.5 million Black residents by systemic racism and the legacy of slavery. Although California entered the union as a free state, black people here were still enslaved. Experts say discriminatory policies in housing, voting and criminal justice hindered the ability of black Californians to accumulate wealth for generations.

The task force has more than 1000 page report with its findings, including ways California lawmakers can address past mistakes. It recommended more than 100 policy changes in education, housing and other areas; a formal apology from the state to black residents; and, most notably, billions of dollars in direct cash payments.

Lawmakers are now acting on some of those guidelines. Since January, more than a dozen proposals have been introduced as part of a reparations legislative package. But none of the proposals involve direct cash payments.

Kamilah Moore, a scientist and attorney who chairs the California task force, called the omission “unfortunate.” The task force recommended payments totaling as much as $800 billion to Californians who are descendants of enslaved African Americans or free black people who lived in the United States before the end of the 19th century.

Moore said the payments would not be a gift; they would compensate for decades of lost property, wealth and opportunity.

“We are not recommending that the state give money to black people,” she said. “We recommend that the state return the dispossessed funds stolen from the descendants of slaves in California as a result of the state’s own actions.”

The accounts in the recovery package are wide. Some focus on reforming prison conditions, including limiting them solitary confinement, forced labour And forbidden books. One proposal aims relax California’s ban about positive action. Another would require that people from historically redrawn communities be given priority for certain educational grants, and another would establish a fund for that purpose help reduce violence in black communities.

Lawmakers said the state was facing a budget deficit this year and that the initial proposals were just the first in a multi-year effort to right the wrongs of slavery and discrimination.

“While many associate direct cash payments only with reparations, the true meaning of the word repair encompasses much more,” Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, said in a statement.

Moore pointed out that some proposals from Sen. Steven Bradford, who served on the task force, could indirectly lead to cash payouts for some Black Californians. One would compensate families whose property was seized through eminent domain as a result of discrimination. Another would establish a housing subsidy program for descendants of enslaved people, and a third would do the same put money aside for possible future reparations.

Lawmakers have until August 31 to approve these newly introduced proposals.

Moore said she thought it was only a matter of time before lawmakers move forward with the direct cash payments recommended by the task force. The state’s responsibilities do not disappear because the budget position is poor, she said.

“I think it will happen — it will just happen later,” she said. “Grassroots activists will never stop fighting for it.”

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And before you go: good news

With spring on the horizon, a new season of fresh produce rolling into farmers’ markets and grocery stores, and now an extra hour of sunlight every evening to enjoy a good meal, there’s a lot to look forward to in the Los Angeles food scene this year. month.

Danielle Dorsey and Laurie Ochoa of The Los Angeles Times recently rounded up the city’s best food and drink options in March, from new restaurants and pop-ups to convenience stores that have been in business for decades.

The 17 establishments on the list offer a range of cuisines and dishes, including plant-based sandwiches and Taiwanese roast duck – a microcosm of LA’s creative and ever-growing food and restaurant scene, with a focus on all that is seasonal in the city.

Before you plan your next culinary excursion, read the full list here.

Thank you for reading. I’ll come back tomorrow. — Soumya

PS Here it is today’s mini crossword.

Maia Coleman and Briana Scalia contributed to California Today. You can reach the team via CAtoday@nytimes.com.

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