Protests erupt in California over shelved compensation bill
Janelle King, co-chair of Win for America Action, spoke about the Kamala Harris campaign's efforts to garner endorsements from labor leaders, Democrats' efforts to defend Harris' “change in tone,” and protests in California over a shelved reparations bill.
New York City will soon become the largest U.S. city to enact a reparations program.
Council members Crystal Hudson and Farrah Lewis introduced two bills to establish a Truth, Healing and Reconciliation Commission and a Reparations Task Force. Both bills were passed Thursday and will take effect immediately.
“Today, the New York City Council passed legislation establishing the City's commitment to recognize and address the legacy and impacts of slavery and racial injustice in New York City,” the council said. This was announced in a press release. “This bill would establish a special commission to explore a truth, healing and reconciliation process regarding slavery in New York City (one of the nation's highest slave-owning cities in the 1700s), a reparations study, signposting to the city's first slave market, and the creation of a 'Freedom Trail' commemorating the abolitionist movement and the sites of the Underground Railroad.”
The press release detailed how the commission will “uncover the facts about slavery and its continuing legacy in New York City, protect and recognize the people and communities affected, and recommend reforms to government and institutions to prevent the perpetuation and recurrence of injustices due to the legacy of slavery.”
City Council Member Crystal Hudson attends the Brooklyn Paramount Grand Opening Ceremony during the official ribbon cutting at the Brooklyn Paramount on March 27, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Brooklyn Paramount)
Protests erupt at California Capitol after two reparations bills are shelved
The two city council members who introduced the bill praised its passage and believe it will bring about change in the city.
Hudson said he hopes the bill will “identify the racist and anti-Black policies that underlie the city's systems and create substantive solutions that address those fundamental fractures.”
Louis said the bill is an “important step toward justice and fairness.”
The two city council members who introduced the bill praised its passage and believe it will bring about change in the city.
Black Californians warn Newsom of 'direct impact' on Harris after Democrats kill slave reparations bill
Speaking to Fox News Digital, Hudson extolled the virtues of the law, arguing that the effects of slavery are still felt today.
“The passage of these bills marks a major step for New York City. The harm that slavery inflicted on Black Americans is still felt today. Our nation's inability to adequately redress this historic wrong allows this deep-rooted injustice to continue to manifest in clear, tangible ways, such as the prison industrial complex, predatory lending, redlining and inequality in our school system,” Hudson said.
“When I first ran for office in 2021, I released a Black Agenda for New York City, outlining six bold recommendations that responded to the urgency of the racial issues facing our city. One of those recommendations was the creation of a citywide truth, healing and reconciliation process centered on acknowledging the city's racist practices and historical treatment of Black New Yorkers,” she added. “And as the largest city in the nation with the largest city budget, I am hopeful that our truth, healing and reconciliation process will work, identify the racist and anti-Black policies that underlie our city's institutions, and produce substantive solutions to address these fundamental fissures.”
Click here to get the FOX News app
But not all New York City council members are happy with the bill.
'Act before you pay,' says Minority Leader Joseph Borelli He told the New York Post. Borelli was one of eight council members who voted against the measure.
“If you can introduce me to even one slave-owning New Yorker, I'd be happy to consider it,” he added, “but until then, I will not pay a cent in reparations for harm I never caused, condoned or participated in.”
