FALL NEWSLETTER 2024

IN THIS ISSUE:

  • A Message from Christian, ED
  • RepGen Updates
  • Our Pillars and Programs
    • Homeownership Reparative Transfer Program (HORT)
    • Community Engagement & Activation Program
    • Restorative Genealogy
    • Evaluation
  • Reparations in the News
  • Resources
  • About RepGen

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Friends,
I hope this newsletter finds you well and that you are enjoying the early days of Fall. It has been an exciting two months in my new role as Executive Director, and I am pleased to present you with some exciting updates in this newsletter. In August, we held our Annual In-Person National Advisory Board Meeting and Annual Unity Reception in Detroit (pictures below), and we had an amazing time. The energy, thought-provoking conversation, and joy in the room left me with a tremendous sense of hope for the future of our organization and our nation. Thank you to our NAB members and event planning team (The GlassDrum) for your participation and help in ensuring everything ran smoothly. As you can imagine, planning and executing an annual meeting and reception one month into my tenure was no small feat! However, in the end, getting such an extensive crash course in all things RepGen early on has been beneficial for helping me think strategically about our next steps.

Our annual meeting provided me with a great deal of clarity, while also leaving us with some important questions. As we continue to define our role in the larger reparations movement, we welcome your input on what role you feel RepGen can play in furthering Reparative Justice at all levels of society. Our model is unique and specific, and in the next phase of our work, we hope to hold on to the ideals that launched us while also meeting the needs of an ever-changing movement. 

In the past few months, we have witnessed significant challenges and triumphs in the reparations space. The Oklahoma Supreme Court refused reparations to victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre, and while several pieces of legislation from the California Reparations Task Force did pass, many important bills failed to pass due to significant last-minute requests from Governor Gavin Newsom. At the same time, we have also seen philanthropic organizations supporting reparative efforts in new ways, more cities beginning to implement reparations task forces, and RepGen launched our HORT 2.0 program in Detroit, where at least 8 families will receive Reparative Wealth Transfers to assist in purchasing a home, Restorative Genealogy services to connect them to their family, and home-buying mentorship. I am proud to say that the reparations landscape is still full of possibilities, and we are closer than ever to our goal of a national program that will heal us all.

In my first message to you as ED, I reminded you that while the road toward federal reparations may take time; every generation has relied on pioneers to push forward an uncompromising vision of a better future. We are those pioneers for our generation. Our interracial, intergenerational movement is destigmatizing reparations, highlighting the need for repair, and thinking beyond what's been to what can be. At this pivotal moment, I ask you to stay engaged, re-engage, and/or find new ways to engage in our work. Below, you will find ways to get involved and more information about what's in store.

 

In community,

Executive Director, Reparation Generation

  • Meet Christian Harris: In case you missed it, In July, after completing our national search, RepGen announced the hiring of our first Executive Director Christian Harris. If you missed the press release, you can read the release in its entirety here. Because of Christian’s incredibly rich experience, we asked him to reflect on this moment and share some thoughts in the video to the left. We express our deep gratitude to you and remember that RepGen’s ability to hire Christian would not be possible without your ongoing commitment to reparative justice.
  • Annual National Advisory Board (NAB) Meeting in Detroit: We had an amazing Annual NAB Meeting and Annual Unity Reception in Detroit August 21-23. Thank you to everyone who attended. It was great to see so many faces in real life rather than on Zoom. This year’s theme, “A Movement Not a Moment,” was chosen to honor… the moments that brought us to this incredible point and reinvigorate our commitment to building a large-scale movement for repair. Harris said in his remarks at the event. “To the ancestors, we have not forgotten you, though your stories may have been lost, we are working to find them and reconnect with you and honor your memory. We know this nation owes you a debt for your unpaid labor, the hardships you endured and all the culture and beauty you helped create. And I ask that everyone here commit to making us the Reparation Generation, the last generation to let that debt go unpaid.” 
  • House Meeting Announcement: Join us for our upcoming House Meeting on Oct. 15 for an engaging discussion where we review our learnings and impacts from the Home Ownership Reparative Transfers Program 1.0 Pilot in Detroit.
  • Strategic Plan: During the NAB meeting in Detroit, RepGen’s Board explored our current Strategic Plan which sunsets at the end of this year. In this 4th Quarter we’ll create a New Strategic Plan which will guide Reparation Generation. We’ll answer important questions about scaling our impact, our role in the reparations movement, and the right organizational structure to execute our work effectively. Your input is welcome. Feel free to reach out to us at info@reparationgeneration.org with your thoughts. 
 

HOMEOWNERSHIP REPARATIVE TRANSFER PROGRAM (HORT) UPDATES

The HORT Pilot 2.0 launched in July 2024. It’s composed of PIlot 1.0 applicants who were either waitlisted or were unable to complete the program requirements within the timeframe allocated. Participant experience and feedback have guided modifications to further simplify and streamline the experience.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & ACTIVATION PROGRAM UPDATE

Help us move people from reparations curious to reparations activated by hosting an in-person or virtual House Meeting. House meetings are an effective low-barrier, high-joy way for reparations supporters to open the doors to new friends, family, and acquaintances. Take the next step to advance reparations in your community by hosting a RepGen House Meeting! If you are interested in hosting a house meeting, reach out to us at  info@reparationgeneration.org.  

RESTORATIVE GENEALOGY PROGRAM UPDATES

Attendees at our July 30 Virtual House Meeting panel presentation on Restorative Genealogy felt motivated, inspired, fueled, blessed, and more from their experience. We’re pleased to share this recording of the session with you. The amazing Kellie Farrish and Lotte Lieb Dula describe and discuss insights, history, and healing in action. 

EVALUATION UPDATE

It’s a RepGen core belief that all Americans will experience positive individual and societal benefits from reparations and racial wealth equity. Since 2021 we’ve been surveying, interviewing, and co-creating with you, our RepGen network to reflect and assess if and how all of us benefit from Reparations. We're excited to partner with Reparations Finance Lab (RFL) in these important efforts.

 

Broken Promises: How Freedmen Lost Their Land After the Civil War- A new report uncovers how formerly enslaved people were systematically ousted from land they received after the Civil War. Despite efforts to provide restitution through land grants, a range of legal maneuvers and violent acts stripped many Black Americans of this crucial resource. The report sheds light on the long-term impacts of these injustices and the ongoing struggle for reparations

 

California Reparations Legislation - Disappointing for many and a surprise to some, the 2023-24 legislative session ends with only a few of the many reparations-related bills introduced passing, including a Formal Apology.  Perspectives on the outcomes and next steps needed vary. For a sense see statements from Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation and Truth, Coalition for Just and Equitable California,  and listen to recent interviews with key elected officials and advocates on First Things First podcast with Dominique DiPrima.

 

New York Reparations - The New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies held its first public meeting on July 30, 2024.

 

Detroit Reparations - The Detroit Task Force is seeking input from residents.

 

Democratic National Convention - Hundreds planned, organized and marched for reparations in Chicago near the center of DNC events.

 

REPGEN MISSION, VISION, AND STRATEGY

MISSION

To be the generation of Americans who achieve federal reparations for slavery and for the unjust, systematic denial of constitutional rights of Black Americans well into the 21st century. 

WE ARE BLACK LED 

High-level strategy and programming decisions are led by RepGen’s Black Founders and National Advisory Board Members (NAB).

WE ARE FOCUSED 

Our goal is federal reparations for Black Descendants of Enslaved Americans, but we're not waiting and modeling reparative programs now to highlight their effectiveness.

WE ARE TRUTH TELLERS

Truth, Acknowledgement and Healing are reparative for all Americans and help secure our democracy.

Follow us

 

888-962-0602

www.reparationgeneration.org

info@reparationgeneration.org

Reparation Generation is a multi-racial, national non-profit focused on demonstrating reparations in action and advocating for federal reparations for the Black Descendants of Enslaved Americans.

 

RepGen is an independent operating project of the umbrella organization Multiplier, a nationally recognized nonprofit with a growing portfolio of innovative initiatives that conserve and protect a sustainable and resilient world. Federal Tax ID 91-2166435

 

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San Francisco, CA 94104