Why Reparations?
Why Reparations?
The answer to Why Reparations? is simple for us. In order to re-allocate wealth and support Black MaGes & communities, direct reparations are the most impactful way to make sure money and resources get directly into the hands of those that we are trying to reach.
You also wanna know: “What are reparations? And why are they important?”
As so much has been written on this topic by Black and brown writers, we won’t attempt to reword what they already have stated beautifully. Instead, here are some excerpts that highlight both the history of reparations and the applications of reparations today.
“Many Black Americans are familiar with the phrase ’40 acres and a mule’ and its promise of Black livelihood. In 1865, the US government…promised 40 acres of land (and later a mule) to formerly enslaved Black people. However, the order was overturned by President Andrew Johnson in the fall of 1865, and the 400,000 acres of land meant to be redistributed were returned to their white, Southern owners, extinguishing the hope that future generations of Black Americans might know generational wealth and prosperity.
The effects of this broken promise are still felt today, as the racial wealth gap continues to widen at an alarming rate. The Brookings Institute reports that the average white family enjoys a net worth that is almost 10 times more than the average Black family, while research conducted by author and scholar Chuck Collins estimates that the median wealth of a white household is closer to 41 times more than that of a Black household. And the most marginalized individuals within the Black community, including LGBTQ+ or disabled individuals, experience even less financial security and access to resources.
This is why reparations matter. And while we might never see reparations from the federal government, mutual aid efforts and direct giving by white and non-Black people may be the closest we'll ever get.” —Tiffany Lashai Curtis,
How white and non-Black people can pay reparations, even if Congress never figures it out
“Given the lingering legacy of slavery on the racial wealth gap, the monetary value we know that was placed on enslaved Blacks, the fact that other groups have received reparations, and the fact that Blacks were originally awarded reparations only to have them rescinded provide overwhelming evidence that it is time to pay reparations to the descendants of enslaved Blacks.” —Rashawn Ray and Andre M. Perry,
Why we need reparations for Black Americans
Finally, as DiDi Delgado explains, “one recurring theme is that broke white people often think they’re exempt from paying their share. That assumption is indisputably wrong, since ALL white folks still benefit from slavery to this day—even when they’re in denial of those benefits.” DiDi’s list of 10 ways to pay reparations even with limited cash flow serves as the roadmap to co-founding Decolonize Abundance and suggests methods that the project employs, from donating time and labor to sharing “discounts on…car rentals…hotel bookings…flyer miles” and more. —DiDi Delgado,
10 Ways to Pay Reparations if You're a Broke Ass White Person
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Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash