Summary of Reparations Commission meeting, June 12

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 – June 12, 2023

I. Call to Order, Welcome and Chair Remarks
Quorum was met.
II. Roll Call
Roll was called.
III. Action Item: Approval of Agenda and minutes
Agenda was approved.
IV. Review: April 24th Meeting Survey Data
Data was reviewed.
V. IFA Updates (15 minutes each)

A. Housing

IFA members discussed work is continuing around potential recommendations in the following areas:

Displacement of Black homes and neighborhoods due to urban renewal
Return of all unused urban renewal land immediately
Explore acquisition of under-utilized and vacant land.

B. Criminal Justice

IFA members discussed work is continuing around potential recommendations in the following areas:

Create Culturally Competent Programs
Eliminate the usage of discretionary authority by SROs
Requiring parents to be present when custodial interviews are conducted

C. Economic Development

IFA members discussed work is continuing around potential recommendations in the following areas:

Small Business Development
Workforce Development
Wage and compensation
Economic Development Projects
Ongoing fund for reparations
Accountability
Building Generational wealth

VI. Old Business

Update given at the 87:15 minute mark.

A. Audit RFP Updates

B. Retreat Agenda Topics

VII. New Business

Arteria Collective

Arteria presentation starts at the 61:00 minute mark.

Legacy Neighborhoods

Legacy Neighborhood discussion starts at the 77:35 minute mark

VIII. Public Comment
No public comment this session.

IX. Wrap-up
Meeting adjourned at 8:00 pm.

NEXT MEETING: The next meeting of the Community Reparations Commission will be the Commissioner Retreat on July 29, 2023. No meeting will occur on July 17,2023

IMPACT FOCUS AREA UPDATES

Housing IFA:

Goal: To increase Black home ownership and other strategies to support upward mobility and build generational wealth within the Black community.
Key harms addressed: Lack of generational wealth, gentrification in Black communities, lack of competent financial literacy programs for Black people.
Recommendations Overview:
Displacement of Black homes and neighborhoods due to urban renewal
Return of all unused urban renewal land immediately
Explore acquisition of under-utilized and vacant land.

Criminal Jutice IFA:

Goal: To eliminate the harm perpetuated on black people by the criminal justice system.
Key harms addressed: The disproportionate rate Black students are being criminalized, lack of awareness of juvenile custodial rights, elimination of the school to prison pipeline.
Recommendations Overview:
Create Culturally Competent Programs
Eliminate the usage of discretionary authority by SROs
Requiring parents to be present when custodial interviews are conducted

Economic Development IFA:

Goal: To reduce disparities in Black business ownership, to reconcile land ownership and the distribution of wealth, and to address ongoing funding for Reparations in Asheville and Buncombe County.
Key harms addressed: Multiple successful Black communities destroyed and/or taken during urban renewal, racial wealth gap, racial disparities in business ownership, disparities in economic development investment from City and County
Recommendations Overview:
Small Business Development
Workforce Development
Wage and compensation
Economic Development Projects
Ongoing fund for reparations
Accountability
Building Generational wealth

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