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  posted by Trahern Crews | 2417.60pc
  January 07, 2021

  Saint Paul City Council To Consider Reparations

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2021   Contact: Trahern Crews, 651-508-6709, Saint Paul Recovery Act and Reparations Steering Committee Co-Chair   Stephanie Harr, Legislative Aide to Councilmember Jane Prince, 651-266-8671   City Council to Consider Creation of Reparations Commission   SAINT PAUL – The Saint Paul City Council will consider a resolution on Wednesday, January 13 calling on the city to advance the cause of racial healing by exploring reparations for American Descendants of Chattel Slavery who live in Saint Paul. The resolution calls for the creation of a Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission, which will guide the city on strategies to grow equity and generational wealth, and eliminate disparities experienced by African Americans in Saint Paul. This initiative has been championed by the Saint Paul Recovery Act and Reparations Steering Committee, co-chaired by Trahern Crews. According to Crews, “At the age of 8, George Floyd's great grandfather Hillary Thomas Stewart, who was a slave, got his freedom. As an adult, he had amassed 500 acres of land. However, white farmers stole it from him and his family, denying his offspring the benefits of generational wealth. This has happened to many Black families whose ancestors descend from American chattel slavery and now it is time for bold reparatory justice policies that will address these historical injustices.” Crews is Co-chair of the Green Party of the United States and heads up its national reparations working group. Newly minted State Representative John Thompson has also been part of the steering committee and stated “Reparatory justice is a bipartisan issue when it comes to addressing the racial wealth gap in Minnesota. Discriminatory policies at the local, state and federal levels have contributed to the economic crisis Black Americans in Minnesota are facing. The Saint Paul Recovery Act is a step toward economic inclusion in the city of Saint Paul.” The killing of George Floyd has made our community the epicenter of the movement for racial justice, and this initiative is inspired by similar ones in Evanston, IL; Asheville, NC, and other cities. States, colleges and universities, and religious organizations like the Minnesota Council of Churches have also undertaken significant efforts to advance racial healing and explore reparations. In addition to governmental entities,  higher education, and faith communities, the November 2020 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine stated that reparations are now widely considered to be the most effective means of breaking down the societal structure related to power, money, and access to resources, and indeed may be the only solution that can be applied intergenerationally that “would be an investment in the future and in reducing disparities that have been intractable for generations.” Jeremie English, another member of the Saint Paul Recovery Act steering committee, has stated his support as well.  “As a citizen of Saint Paul City for over 40 years and a standing member of the Steering Committee that represents Foundational Black Americans in Saint Paul, passing a resolution this year to explore how the city should address economic deprivation, systemic racism and police reform for Foundational Black America will be one of if not the important investments this city has made in decades. To move forward with the Saint Paul Recovery Act means this city is ready to empower its Black   American citizens with tangible economic resources to enable them to compete on an equal playing field.” Steering Committee member Georgia Fort sums up this work, “Without reparations, we will continue to fail at creating equitable solutions for Black residents in Saint Paul.”  

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  posted by Trahern Crews | 2417.60pc
  December 07, 2020

  March For Reparations

  The Reparationist Collective Black Pacthttps://www.BlackPact.org Black Lives Matter Minnesotawww.blacklivesmattersmn.com Concerned Black American Citizenshttps://www.CBACUSA.org (ADOS DMV)https://www.ADOSDMV.com For Immediate Release:Wednesday and Thursday, Jan 20th and 21st, 2021 Contact: Tara Perry, Black Pactinfo@BlackPact.org Trahern Crews, BLM Minnesota GPUS Co-Chair/Green Party National Black CaucusReparations Working Group Chair and Green Party of Minnesota Chair,trahern@mngreens.org, 763-260-4233   Toya Woodland    toyawoodland@mngreens.org The Reparationist Collective of Black Pact, BLM Minnesota, Concerned BlackAmerican Citizens, and (ADOS DMV). December 7, 2020 At the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, despite having invested more than 100% ofour fair share of “sweat equity” for over 250 years into the United States, Black Americans owned just 1% of the nation's wealth. Now following a multitude ofDemocratic majorities since, and here the victory announcement of Joe Biden onNovember 7th, that number remains unchanged. The average white household has a net worth of $171,00 while the average Blackhousehold has a mere net worth of only $17,000. This disparity, rooted in the UnitedStates’ original sin of chattel slavery, has yielded a massive racial wealth gap.Fueled by past apologies and commitments (H.R. 194, July 29, 2008), and hope forchange, Black voters turned out at a rate of 90% for the Democrats and are rightlycredited with handing the election to Biden on this, his third attempt. During hisNovember 7th victory speech, Joe Biden “looked into the eyes” of Black Americans andmade this SPECIFIC PROMISE: "African Americans have always had my back and I’llhave yours”. On January 20th & 21st, 2021, The Reparationist Collective will march onWashington, DC to ensure he keeps that promise: “WE DELIVERED, NOW IT’S TIME TO COLLECT!” We demand payment of the United States debt of reparations to the descendants ofAmerican (as of 1776) chattel slavery in the form of multi-generational direct cashpayments, and including, but not limited to tax-exempt status, the elimination of themean Black-White wealth gap and the elimination of healthcare outcome disparities.We further demand an Economic Empowerment executive order, akin to those currentlyin place for the Latinx and AAPI, in the FIRST 100 DAYS tasked to empower DescendantsOf American Chattel Slavery to improve the quality of their lives, raise the standard ofliving of their families and communities, and more fully participate in our economy byeliminating the racial wealth gap. Join us to be a part of these historical direct actions on January 20th and 21st, to makesure Joe Biden delivers on his promise via executive order in the FIRST 100 DAYS!Paving the way to enacting, reparations and comprehensive restorative legislation forDescendants of American Chattel Slavery, aka African Americans.“WE DELIVERED, NOW IT’S TIME TO COLLECT!” - The Reparationist Collective    

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