The commissioners on the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies were sworn in during the group’s first meeting on Tuesday.
Commissioners officially held their first session on July 30 in Albany, according to a press release.
The commission was established to address the long-term impacts of slavery and systemic racism on African Americans in New York. it will conduct research, engage with affected communities and recommend reparative actions to the state legislature.
“The naming of the commission is a tremendous step in our state’s path toward reconciliation,” said Rashida Tyler, deputy executive director of the New York State Council of Churches. “In the journey of faith, reparations is a path towards reconciliation, a crucial step in addressing the wounds inflicted by the sin of slavery. They serve as a testament to our commitment to confront our past, acknowledging the profound repercussions it has had on our present society.”
Commissioners include:
- Jennifer Jones Austin: CEO and Executive Director of FPWA.
- Timothy R. Hogues: Commissioner for the Department of Civil Service.
- Linda Brown-Robinson: Immediate Past President of the Syracuse Onondaga NAACP.
- Dr. Darrick Hamilton: University Professor at The New School, noted economist and expert on racial inequality.
- Linda Tarrant-Reid: Author, historian, and community activist.
- Dr. Seanelle Hawkins, Chair: President and CEO of the Urban League of Rochester.
- Dr. Ron Daniels: President of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century.
- Lurie Daniel Favors, Esq.: Executive Director at the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College.
- Rev. Dr. Deborah D. Jenkins: Founding Pastor of Faith @Work Christian Church.
“The cornerstone of liberty and prosperity resides in a society’s equitable access to high-quality educational opportunities,” said Dr. Jackie Cody, the vice president of the Brooklyn Central Chapter of the National Action Network. “We acknowledge that the indelible marks slavery has left within the fabric of American society, inequalities present in modern-day America, form the legacy of slavery. We know that this legacy is perpetuated in the economic disparities produced by educational imbalances and inequities. Addressing education via reparations can create lasting impact that can empower Black American students and communities in New York State and the United States of America for generations to come.”