The Democrats Abroad Reparations Task Force was thrilled to attend the signing today of a bill to create a New York State reparations commission. We thank Governor Kathy Hochul for taking this momentous step and for inviting us to be a part of this historic day.
The bill signing came after the Democrats Abroad Reparations Task Force initiated and submitted a letter to Governor Hochul—signed by over 100 organizations and individuals—in support of a New York State community commission on reparations remedies. The newly signed legislation, A7691/S1163A, calls for the establishment of a nine-member commission to examine New York’s legacy of enslavement and racial discrimination, from the inception of global finance off the backs of African POWs to present-day mass incarceration.
“We are witnessing today not only Black history, not only New York history, but also American history,” said Democrats Abroad Reparations Task Force Chair Antar Keith. “For the first time, we have enacted a commission tasked with quantifying the extent to which New York’s complicity with the slave trade was both profitable and essential to the trade's existence. Black New Yorkers who live abroad know that the harms we faced do not end once we leave the geopolitical borders of the United States. Their indelible imprints stay with us, negatively affecting our opportunities for growth, economic preparedness, and mental and emotional well-being.”
“Thanks to Governor Hochul, New Yorkers will begin to understand how past policies feed into present-day harms across the realms of wealth, education, employment, health, housing, and mass incarceration,” he added. “With her signature, Governor Hochul has brought us one step closer to truth, justice, and healing for Black New Yorkers and, through their repair, all New Yorkers.”
We are grateful to Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, Senator James Sanders Jr., and their entire staff for shepherding this bill through the state legislature. We also thank Senator Jabari Brisport for his long-standing support for reparations in New York. We look forward to working with you and all of our allies on the ground to win a better, safer, more equal New York for all.
Other images of the day:
