Robin Rue Simmons, Founder and Executive Director of FirstRepair, announced that more than 150 community stakeholders, reparations advocates, scholars, public interest lawyers, elected officials and representatives of government from around the country are slated to attend the Fourth Annual National Symposium for State and Local Reparations from December 4 to 6 at the Hilton-Orrington in Evanston.
The FirstRepair Symposium is a transformative gathering dedicated to advancing local reparations. Co-hosted with the National African American Reparations Committee (NAARC), the goal of the Symposium is to continue building a national network of local and state reparatory justice initiatives to promote information-sharing, networking and collaboration to strengthen the reparations movement in the U.S. This year’s theme, “Solutions Only,” focuses on creating actionable plans to make reparations both common sense and common place.
Among the speakers addressing the gathering will be Dr. Joy DeGruy, national and internationally renowned researcher and educator, and author of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing. Dr. DeGruy will discuss her work on African-American multigenerational trauma and implementing models of change, and the connections between interpersonal repair, Black joy and the reparations movement.
FirstRepair and co-host National African Amercian Reparations Commission (NAARC) have arranged for presentations by experts and practitioners in various fields who will provide useful information on developing local and state reparations initiatives including Tina Lifford, actress, playwright and the CEO of The Inner Fitness Project; Alvin B. Tillery, Northwestern University professor of political science and Director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy; Nkechi Taifa, Founder/Director of the Reparation Education Project Inc., convener emeritus of the Justice Roundtable and Senior Fellow for the Columbia University Center for Justice; Amara Enya, Chairwoman of the International Civil Society Working Group for the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent; and Areva Martin, CNN contributor, award-winning civil rights attorney, civic leader, philanthropist and talk show host.
On Thursday, December 6, the City of Evanston Reparations Committee, the Reparations Stakeholder Authority of Evanston (RASE) and NAARC will co-host a Town Hall Meeting, free and open to the public, held at the historic Second Avenue Baptist Church, 1717 Benson Ave., at 6:30 p.m. hosted by Rev. Dr. Michael Nabors, Senior Pastor and President of the North Shore NAACP. This special Reparations Town Hall marks five years since the passing of Evanston’s groundbreaking Resolution 126-R-19, a historic step toward justice that established dedicated funding and initiated the process of reparations for the City of Evanston. Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste will guide a meaningful conversation with an intergenerational panel of Evanstonians, sharing personal stories, reflections, and the impact of reparations on their lives. Guests from the Symposium will also join to share how Evanston’s trailblazing reparations initiative inspired their own work and continues to shape the broader movement for justice and repair. For more information and to register for the event, please visit resources online.
Opening of National Resource Center for State and Local Reparations
A major highlight of the Symposium will be the public launch of the National Resource Center for State and Local Reparations, a home for the national reparations movement to share best practices, connect to other leaders through resource and referral, house scholarly, historical and cultural learning and research, and serve as a hub for providing support and technical assistance to localities implementing reparations and foster collaboration among reparations leaders nationwide. The Resource Center will feature programming such as leadership cohorts, lecture series, retreats and office hours to provide technical assistance and advisory support to local reparations initiatives.
The Resource Center Library houses a diverse collection of books, journal articles, archives and essential texts that serve as foundational resources for reparative work. Curated in collaboration with Semicolon Books, a Chicago-based Black-owned bookstore, the collection reflects both historical and contemporary perspectives on reparations. Key resources will include harm reports from various localities, practical toolkits and research reports that document community needs and guide policy implementation. The Library’s curated materials will support leaders, scholars and community members in advancing reparations.
In partnership with local community organizations, the National Resource Center will also serve the Evanston community through events like book talks, featured speakers, meeting space for community organizing and joint programming with Reparations partners. Through these events the Evanston and national reparations community will continue to come together to identify and implement the forms of repair that heal and sustain our communities.
Location of National Resource Center Designated African American Heritage Site in Evanston
On the first day of the Symposium, Wednesday, December 4, the National Resource Center building location will receive designation from Shorefront Legacy Center as an Evanston African American Heritage Site, in recognition of the importance of the site’s importance to the African American community, nominated and guided by the local community.