California reparations task force inches closer to submitting final report
SACRAMENTO – The clock is ticking for the first-in-the-nation panel overseeing reparations for Black Californians whose descendants were enslaved or freed.
"You can't put a dollar amount on it. I mean, you really can't," said State Sen. Steven Bradford, who represents the 35th District.
He sits on the reparations task force.
The group has hesitated to issue a formal dollar amount; however, it did release calculations for specific harms. In the case of mass incarceration and over-policing, eligible people could receive $2,352.
For loss and devaluation of black-owned businesses, it would be $77,000 per Black Californian.
While some believe it is impossible to place a monetary value on the past, pain in the present is real according to some psychologists.
"That's about 20 generations in which black people were not seen as human. They were treated in ways that were terroristic," said Dr. Kristee Haggins, executive director of Safe Black Space.
Following the group's formation, misconceptions developed.
"My office was inundated with African Americans sending me their banking routing numbers so they could get their check the next day," said Asm. Reggie Jones-Sawyer, Sr., another task force member.
While compensation has garnered headlines, the panel has addressed other harms affecting quality-of-life issues such as healthcare, housing and political disenfranchisement.
The task force has neither no budgetary nor legislative powers outside of studying the effects of slavery and its impact throughout the centuries into modern times.
According to Bradford, the real work begins July 1 when the final report is due.
The reparations task force meets Saturday in Oakland to vote on some of its final recommendations.
The last meeting is scheduled June 30.
When asked whether he has tried to drum up support to see if lawmakers have a willingness to tackle the group's final recommendations, the legislator said he has been testing some trial balloons.
Some of those trial balloons included removing involuntary servitude from the state constitution.
It failed.
"When the press conferences are happening, they stand there in solidarity and say, 'Hey, I support this.' But now, are you willing to vote for it," Bradford said. "This is going to be the real test."
