Press release from City of Asheville:
The Community Reparations Commission is empowered to make short, medium, and long-term recommendations that will make significant progress toward repairing the damage caused by public and private systemic racism. The task of the Reparations Commission is to issue a report in a timely manner for consideration by the City, County, and other participating community groups for incorporation into their respective short-term and long-term priorities and plans.
Find the meeting recording on YouTube at this link.
Community Reparations Commission Meeting – February 20, 2023
I. Call to Order and Declaration of Quorum
Quorum is met.
Volunteer aid for the commission was called.II. Roll Call
Roll was called.III. Action Item: Approval of Agenda
Agenda was approved.IV. Action Item: Approval of Minutes
Minutes were approved.V. IFA Updates
Education
Economic Development
Health and Wellness
Housing
Criminal JusticeVI. Follow Up
-Education: Recommendations include teacher recruitment and retention, community based education programs, and school suspension and expulsion. (0:14 Time Stamp)
-Economic Development: Recommendations include business and workforce development. (0:25 Time Stamp)
-Health and Wellness: Recommendations include provisions of access to free healthcare, eliminating bias for staff and providers, stopping the harm. To address disparities leading to inadequate health care. (0:32 Time Stamp)
-Housing: Displacement of Black homes due to urban renewal was addressed. The recommendation brought up is to have all City and County owned land returned to the Black community. (0:43 Time Stamp)
-Criminal Justice: Recommendation over the disproportionate arrest of Black individuals include the funding of record expungement clinics and the funding to re-entry services.(0:52 Time Stamp)VII. Old Business
a. Vote of Code of Ethics Policy
b. Vote on New Project Timeline
c. Audit Recommendation Scope Working GroupThe motion to pass the vote of code of ethics was approved.
The vote on the new project will be on hold for further discussion.VIII. New Business
Speaker – Racial Justice Coalition
Roundtable Check-in with Commission Members
IV. Public Comment
X. Wrap-up
Adjourned at 8:04 p.m.NEXT MEETING: The next meeting of the Community Reparations Commission is scheduled for March 20, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Banquet Room: 87 Haywood Street, Asheville, NC 28801
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