“It’s happening across our state, where people who are born in the community are not able to live in the community they were born in.”
By Diego Vargas, fresnoland
The State of Black California, a series of events presented by the California Legislative Black Caucus and the California Black Freedom Fund, stopped in Fresno on Saturday to promote dialogue regarding reparations for Black Californians.
Specifically, the event series seeks to engage with Californians on the lasting impact slavery and the disenfranchisement of Black Americans had to garner support for state policies supporting reparations.
“Today is to create momentum and build awareness around this vision for repair,” said Marc Philpart, executive director of the California Black Freedom Fund.
The passing of Assembly Bill 3121 and the creation of a reparations task force in 2020 led to their studying of the institution of slavery and the harmful impacts that still prevail today. In their final report from 2023, they listed 115 recommendations for reparations legislation, including monetary compensation and a formal apology from the state as part of reparations for Black Californians.
Since the final report, efforts have been made to introduce reparations legislation at the state level, with four reparations bills currently progressing through the state legislature: SB 1403, SB 1050, SB 1331, and AB 3089.
Saturday’s event highlighted these efforts, with multiple assemblymembers in attendance voicing their support in continuing to advocate for reparations for Black Californians.
“We have to do everything we can in our power to right the wrong,” said state Sen. Anna Caballero, who represents the 14th State Senate district. “It’s about acknowledging the harm and making it right.”
The event also featured a presentation of data gathered and prepared by USC’s Equity Research Institute. It outlined the Black community’s decreasing population growth in Fresno and Fresno County, stagnating wages that disproportionately affect Black Californians, and how lower rates of homeownership and access to vehicles can negatively affect generations of Black families.
“We’ve got to do something about it,” said Assemblymember Corey Jackson, who presented the data. “It takes each and every one of us to get it done.”
Across multiple panel discussions, speakers also discussed the need for Black Californians to build strong local communities to combat the rising costs of living and gentrification.
“It’s happening across our state,” said Assemblymember Lori Wilson during a panel discussion, “where people who are born in the community are not able to live in the community they were born in.”
This article first appeared on Fresnoland and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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Previously Published on fresnoland.org with Creative Commons License
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