LETS TALK ABOUT REPARATIONS AND EVANSTON IL Student
LET'S TALK ABOUT REPARATIONS AND EVANSTON, IL Student Health & Human Services Office of Human Relations, Diversity & Equity April 2021
WELCOME PICK YOUR FAVE
Learn about reparations and the United States' first government backed reparations program. OBJECTIVES Review the way that the City Council of Evanston, Illinois is providing reparations to its Black community. Reflect on how reparations are utilized and their impact.
WHERE IS EVANSTON, IL? Evanston, IL is a northern suburb of Chicago. Evanston is situated on the North Shore along Lake Michigan. Evanston is 12 miles north of Downtown Chicago. Demographics of Evanston, IL • 65. 6% White • 18. 1% Black or African American • 0. 2% American Indian or Alaska Native • 8. 6% Asian • 0. 02% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander • 3. 6% some other race • 3. 8% from two or more races.
WHAT ARE REPARATIONS?
Reparations are generally paid to victims of human rights violations by offending countries. RECAP Usually, the recipients are the original victims or their families. Actual reparations are very rare – usually so much time has passed that current governments refuse to take responsibility for historical atrocities.
Restitutution • Restore property, employment, citizenship, or any specific loss by the victims Compensation • Paying for financially assessable damages 5 CATEGORIES OF REPARATIONS Rehabilitation • Assistance with any psychological, physical or legal barriers Satisfaction • Acknowledgement of atrocities, or public apologies by the offending parties Guarantees of non-repetition • Legal or cultural changes to the status quo to prevent the situation from reoccurring
EXAMPLES OF REPARATIONS Germany Pays Reparations for the Holocaust The United States Pays Reparations for Japanese Internment • After World War II, Germany paid reparations to Isreal due to the Holocaust in order to compensate survivors, recover property and invest in the encomy. • More than 100, 000 Japanese Americans were forcibly interned during World War II. • Advocacy groups petitioned the government for reparations on their behalf for 40 years. • In 1988 the US issued an official apology and offered surviving victims $20, 000 each.
R EFLECTION: Should current governments take responsibility for past atrocities?
SO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN EVANSTON? In the summer of 2019, the Evanston City Council passed Resolution 58 -R-19, "Commitment to End Structural Racism and Achieve Racial Equity". On March 24 th, 2021 the Evanston city council voted 8 -1 to spend $10 million in reparations over the next 10 years. This resolution is meant to address the historical wealth and opportunity gaps that Black residents of Evanston have experienced. As the first government backed reparations plan, the initial roll out of this program is going to be focused on restorative housing.
HOW WILL I T WORK? This initital roll out is only $400, 000, or 4% of the overall approved reparations budget. The city council will issue individual grants of up to $25, 000 for Black residents who can show they or their families lived in the city between 1919 and 1969. This money can be used for downpayments on a house, mortgage payments or repairs for home improvements. Almost all of the money will come from taxes on the sale of recreational marijuana.
WHY IS HOUSING FIRST? The city has recognized that the Black community suffered discrimination in housing because of city ordinances, policies or practices from 1919 -1969. Also, the resolution states that Black residents who experienced discrimination due to the city’s housing policies or practices after 1969 can qualify.
R EFLECTION: Do you think it's fair that the city council are telling the recipients how they can spend their reparations money?
CHECK OUT WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER WEAR?
Please click on the link to complete the survey FEEDBACK Teacher Survey
HUMAN RELATIONS, DIVERSITY & EQUITY Location Name E-mail Address Central Office Judy Chiasson, Ph. D (She/Her) Judy. chiasson@lausd. net Central Office Janise Escobar, LCSW (She/Her) Janise. escobar@lausd. net Central Office Jules Gomez, LCSW (She/Her) Julie. gomez@lausd. net LD Northeast Cristina Vigil, LCSW (She/Her) Cristina. vigil@lausd. net LD Northwest Frances Marion, LCSW (She/Her) Frances. marion@lausd. net LD West Samantha Torres, LCSW (She/Her) Samantha. torres@lausd. net LD East Tina Southern, LCSW (They/She) Kristina. southern@lausd. net LD South Susanna Zoeckler, LCSW (She/Her) Susanna. l. zoeckler@lausd. net LD Central Talia Guppy, LCSW (She/Her) Talia. guppy@lausd. net
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