TULSA, OKLA (KTUL) — Friday was the first meeting for a Tulsa commission looking at reparations for Tulsa Race Massacre descendants and north Tulsa. This comes after the city’s Beyond Apology report last year discovered a need for reparations that’s more than just financial compensation.
For the next six weeks, the newly formed Beyond Apology Commission the City of Tulsa created will look at reparations for 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre descendants and the damages the north Tulsa community experienced 103 years later.
This comes after the Beyond Apology report came out last year that covers the community’s needs and wants when it comes to reparative justice and reparations. City Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper who’s helping lead the commission says the 10 board members are focusing on eight areas in the form of reparations.
“Education, financial compensation, community, economic development, housing, health and wellness, land, systems, and culture identity,” Hall-Harper said.
The first focus of the commission is housing. So, until November 30, board members will look at more affordable housing and investments, but Hall-Harper assures people they will cover all eight areas over time.
Mayor G.T. Bynum has an ask from Tulsans.
“Those who may be suspicious of this commission because it’s associated with the city, others might be suspicious of it because they don’t think we should be talking about reparations at all my ask is that you just allow the commission to do its work before you make up your mind,” Bynum said.
You may remember in recent years Bynum has been vocal about his stance on reparations and not wanting to hand out financial compensation. Four years later he said it’s about finding common ground but admits he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Hall-Harper about what reparations looks like.
“Our work on that doesn’t necessarily mean that to somebody else that’s what reparations look like, so the challenge is you have this one very hot-button term that means a lot of different things to people,” Bynum said.
The board meets every Friday at 1 p.m. at City Hall.