Some Black New Yorkers demand cash payments as only ‘true’ form of justice
Some Black New Yorkers are demanding cash compensation from the government as state officials consider some form of reparations for slavery or other racial injustices of the past.
“We need $800,000 for every foundation of Black Americans. It’s very simple,” Aubrey Muhamud said. Fox News Digital. “It’s about the cost of living in New York that will get you a home or a small business or get you out of any financial trouble.”
The New York State Community Commission on Compensation Solutions held a public hearing last Saturday. The hearing continued after the Governor. Kathy hochul A bill was signed into law in 2023 to establish “a community commission to investigate the history of slavery in the state of New York” to examine “various forms of reparations.”
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Imperial State joins several other states and local municipalities plan to compensate Black residents in a way that would allow them to be compensated for slavery or other instances of racial injustice. One suburb of Chicago — Evanston, Illinois — went so far as to pay black residents $25,000 in cash to address past racial problems housing discriminates through its program.
“I absolutely appreciate all of you coming here today to enjoy this public hearing, to participate and to have your voices heard. Our theme today is the truth before repair,” Commissioner Seanelle Hawkins told the audience.
As the state considers paying reparations to Black Americans or any other group, some reparations advocates have talked about the importance of recognizing the identity of key Black Americans.
The public hearing allowed residents to share their experiences to gather input for the commission’s efforts to examine past discriminatory policies and slavery in the United States.
Many told Fox News Digital what they think reparations should look like.
“I personally think it should be, I think a new Freedmen’s Bureau should come back and it should be almost like a central bank for Black America and distributed to Black communities,” Rex Burns said.
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New York is now among other states considering the issue of reparations as a way to make up for past historical injustices of Black Americans.
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Some of the speakers represented the “United States Freedmen Project,” a group of self-described “essential Black Americans” who aims to inform Americans about the distinctions between African Americans who are descendants of slaves and those who willingly immigrated to the country.
According to its website, the organization is “a non-partisan organization seeking to fulfill the abandoned duties of the Freed Slaves Bureau and the Freedmen’s Savings and Trust Company.”
Supporters of the Freedmen’s Project argued that the reparations bill contained language that violated the Constitution. Therefore, state officials should base eligibility criteria for reparations on “ancestry” instead.
“This shouldn’t just be a check, it should start with a check,” Brooke Lean told Fox News Digital.
Wearing a shirt promoting the Freed Men’s Project, Lean told Fox News that digital cash payments should come before other forms of compensation.
“Then we can start to address education issues, red line issues, policing issues and other issues that have slavery badges and cases.”
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said Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages, who represents New York’s 22nd District and helped draft the Compensation Commission legislation.
“At the end of the day, we are a collective state. We bring together a lot of people, and it’s important that we hear from New Yorkers,” Solages said. “And our goal in drafting the legislation was for the Commission to hear from New Yorkers and provide a report.”
Several other locals who attended the public hearing also described themselves as “essential Black Americans” and explained to Fox News Digital why the cash payments were necessary.
“I think we owe it,” Caprice Reins said.
Tanasia Poke said financial compensation is the only way to achieve “true justice.”
“Overall, that’s been the biggest impact on our community generationally. That’s how it was institutionalized in terms of policy and finance in the first place. That’s the way to fix it,” Poke said.
burns said Cash payments are important because they are “concrete”.
“Right in front of you,” Burns said. “I’m all for community building, too. I don’t want money going to the wrong people.”
Original article source: Some Black New Yorkers demand cash payment as only ‘real’ form of justice
