Democrats Abroad Reparations Task Force (DA RTF) Chair Antar Keith joined Representatives Barbara Lee, Sheila Jackson Lee, Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman, and over 400 prominent individuals requesting President Biden take executive action to fulfill reparations and racial justice obligations.
"As we face another election year, this conversation regarding urgent executive action on reparations is not just about policy – it is about the people of the United States of America, the fate of our democracy, national unity, and national security," the joint letter states.
"We call upon you to meet with the Congressional members and advocates as soon as possible to tackle and attend to the unfinished work of advancing comprehensive equity through executive orders and actions. The state of our Union depends upon it."
The action – led by Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter, coiner of #BlackLivesMatter – follows a February 19 letter signed by over 150 organizations, including the DA RTF and the Global Progressive Caucus. The President’s Day message outlined key legislative priorities for Black Americans, including the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act (H.R. 40/S. 40) and Congresswoman Cori Bush’s historic Reparations Now resolution (H.Res.414).
The latest letter was transmitted to the White House on April 4, the anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination. Dr. King was a vocal advocate for reparations for Black Americans.
“The People have spoken and will continue to do so,” DA RTF Chair Antar Keith said. “Voters around the country and the world see Democratic leaders at the municipal, county, and state levels heeding the call for reparative justice. It is long overdue for our federal leadership to recognize that Black voters and their allies must see action, not just rhetoric.”
“The only way to achieve the dream Dr. King imagined – of a multiracial democracy grounded in love, justice, and liberation – is by enacting reparations for historical and ongoing anti-Black harms. With the stroke of a pen, President Biden can help get us there.”
Want to join the historic movement for justice? Contact the White House today to urge executive action on reparations without further delay, and consider donating to the DA RTF to support our advocacy.