Live reporting by
Perry Sylvester
Community members report inability to access the meeting via Zoom. Six Zoom participants weren’t heard due to technical difficulties. Radio show host and historian Michael Imhotep presented a case on the definition and benefits of municipal reparations
Perry Sylvester
@PerrySylvester6
Hi, Detroit! Saturday, March 2, I live-tweet Detroit Reparations Task Force for @DetDocumenters #DETdocumenters and media partners @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @metrotimes @MichiganPublic @media_outlier @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
12:56 PM Mar 1, 2024 CST
This public session of the Detroit Reparations Task Force is held at Farewell Rec Center, 2711 E Outer Drive; you can participate in person or remotely, with details found here:
detroitmi.gov/events/detroit…
The Detroit Reparations Task Force #DetroitReparations #Reparationstaskforce @repairdetroit will hold sessions first Saturday of the month, 2-4, alternating between Farewell Rec & Northwest Activities Ctr, to provide information, engage with community and gather public input
@repairdetroit February 3 meeting featured a presentation from Prof Bernadette Atuahene @ProfAtuahene
bernadetteatuahene.com
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene Prof Atuahene spoke about her work on reparations and property tax justice, specifically her work in Detroit with grassroots groups to form Coalition for Property Tax Justice
bernadetteatuahene.com/detroit/
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene Here are the Coalition for Property Tax Justice member organizations
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene You can learn more about Coalition for Property Tax Justice #BlackHomesMatter at their website
illegalforeclosures.org
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene While Prof Atuahene's presentation was dynamic and informative and the work of Coalition for Property Tax Justice inspiring, the rest of the session's dynamics were tense and trend of task force members resigning continued with Anita Belle doing just that
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene A great recap & backgrounder for what has been happening available from @DanaAfana @freep here:
freep.com/story/news/loc…
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep Meanwhile, Saturday's Reparations Task Force session looks very interesting with featured presenter Michael Imhotep @TheAHNShow discussing the case for reparations
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Okay, 2:07 and we start…Janis Hazel makes opening remarks
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Moving to public comments since waiting on quorum
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Speaking out in protest of tax abatements etc used in recent City developments…specifically Tom Gore’s luxury condominium project…says this ends of diverting tax $$$ and is reverse reparations & should be in Task Force’s scope
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Resident of District 4 letting board know that all the Zoom links she has don’t work and wants correct information for her neighbors who are shut in & have difficulty attending
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Here is agenda…motion to amend, move item 9…expense report is now online and will be covered in treasury report
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow There is some back tracking on agenda, motion to approve minutes… but there are none so motion fails
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow I didn’t catch earlier the last of public comments…which was a woman complaining that she requested minutes from last meeting…she also said she left contact info, not happy that no one got back to her
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Michael Imhotep @TheAHNShow begins, noting reparations and municipal reparations are not identical…also points out that reparations originally were not attached to slavery
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Moving to how reparations concept applies to African Americans—-root of term and concept found in “repair”
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Provides overview of other groups that have experienced radical injustices … some receiving some indemnification, others not…a very scattered record for results, sadly
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Now going over case of Evanston, IL…points to necessity of investigation of harms imposed and relevant governing body…strongest case of restorative restoration in this case is housing where zoning caused measurable harm
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow For Evanston, matter of slavery difficult due to when slavery was ended in Illinois and when Evanston was incorporated…while heritage of slavery in total obviously exists, Fed govt is relevant gov’ng body
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow He goes own to point out how at local level for municipal reparations, there is more community power — along with very demonstrable harms that can be put into accessible reports, get more movement
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Obviously, this does NOT mean reparations at Federal level is not important or should not be pursued…just that municipal level has more opportunities for faster action
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Crowd has increased—pretty much at full capacity!
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow He is now discussing situation of reparations in San Francisco showing how right wing co-opts and reframes to stall/stop things…the # of possible restorative actions is legion but right wing exclusively reports only one: giving $5 million to each Afr-Am in Frisco
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Message is that along with history one must understand rhetorical strategies that are used (and never challenged in MSM)
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Michael Imhotep @TheAHNShow is moving very fast and deftly bouncing between Michigan history, various efforts to pursue reparations, breaking down concepts and discussing strategies…wish I could capture all of it
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Just announced that the presentation will be available online at task force website
detroitmi.gov/government/cit…
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Question from public as to whether task force will be ready with report by October…board responds they have met in committee and resolved to petition for extension if they are not ready (but believe they will be)
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Speaking to members of public, Imhotep talks strategy—recommending not to focus on term ‘reparations’ but harms done and policy initiatives for restorative justice
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Task force member asks Imhotep about connecting City tax policies that divert and/redistribute tax revenues in manner causing clear harm to communities…Imhotep agrees, emphasizing how municipal reparations way beyond slavery
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow More members of public lining up for comments…woman from Pontiac asking how other communities can emulate what Detroit is doing
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Imhotep responds with how communities like Japanese proceeded and Janis Hazel, who was working with Congress when legislation passed, notes current efforts are modeled on it
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow This woman asks if what task force should be working on is getting money back to the community…Imhotep responds that a harm report must be done and he will assist…task force chair responds that they are bound to mission as defined by City Council
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow They are now trying to connect with Zoom…6 hands are raised
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Can’t get Zoom working so moving on … task force member wants reparations dialogue to include not only harm done to Afr-Americans but benefits others rec’d, citing crazy situation in which former slave owners in DC rec’d compensation for loss of slaves
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Some back and forth…agreement that study in harm report should not be bound by preconceived concepts but go where research leads
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow As time runs down, there is vocal complaints about process…project manager speaks in response to some people saying the QR codes not working on hand outs but if people email her she will get them info for community calendar
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow A quick review on how to heard within rules..plus commitment from task force that emails will be answered
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow Young man is speaking passionately, insisting on need to be involved and heard…adjourned chaotically at 3:50 PM
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow One final note—here is more info on Michael Imhotep @TheAHNShow and where to learn more
@repairdetroit @ProfAtuahene @DanaAfana @freep @TheAHNShow So that’s my coverage of the Detroit Reparations Task Force Public Session; if any of this is inaccurate email documenters@outliermedia.org with “Correction Request” in subject line