The City of Los Angeles took another step toward addressing historical injustices as city officials, scholars, and community leaders convened at the California African American Museum (CAAM) for “What’s Next for Reparations?” on February 8.
The event, hosted by the LA Civil Rights Department and its Reparations Advisory Commission, marked the release of their comprehensive reparations study, shedding light on more than a century of systemic racial inequities experienced by Black Angelenos.
The event served as a public forum to discuss the study’s findings, which were developed in partnership with California State University, Northridge (CSUN), and Mockingbird Analytics. The report outlines the enduring economic, social, and political disadvantages that have shaped Black life in Los Angeles while also providing recommendations for restorative policies.
The 386-page reparations report details racial disparities in housing, economic opportunities, education, and criminal justice, showing how systemic discrimination has left Black Angelenos with the lowest homeownership rates, significant wage gaps, lower graduation rates, and disproportionate incarceration.
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Moderated by key stakeholders, the discussion brought together city officials, legal experts, and community activists to deliberate on the report’s findings. Among the featured speakers were LA City Councilmember Curren D. Price, Jr., LA Civil Rights Executive Director Capri Maddox, Esq., former California State Senator Steven Bradford, former U.S. Ambassador Michael A. Lawson, New World Education CEO Mandla Kayise, Bloomberg Opinion columnist Erika D. Smith, and Reparations Advisory Commission Vice Chair Khansa T. Jones – Muhammad.
Councilmember Curren D. Price, Jr., representing Los Angeles’ Ninth District, delivered an impassioned call to action, urging the community to engage in the fight for reparations: “Do not let this moment pass in silence. Raise your voices and demand action. The time is now.”
In August 2024, the City of Los Angeles Reparations Advisory Commission released an interim report titled Executive Summary: An Examination of African American Experiences in Los Angeles.
LA Civil Rights Executive Director Capri Maddox emphasized the extensive research and community involvement behind the report, stating, “To develop this report, we conducted over 18 months of original research, analysis, and public participation, including nearly 60 community engagements and webinars, more than 600 survey responses, and 18 focus groups and interviews with current and former Angelenos.”
The 56-page interim report also featured open letters of support from elected officials, including District Eight Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson and District Ten Councilwoman Heather Hutt. Councilwoman Hutt underscored the moral and social importance of reparations, writing, “I firmly believe that addressing and rectifying the injustices of the past is not only morally imperative but also a crucial step towards building a more equitable and inclusive future for all residents across our beloved city.”
The Los Angeles Reparations Advisory Commission, established in 2021 as a Blue-Ribbon Task Force, brings together experts in activism, academia, law, and racial justice to address historical injustices within the city’s jurisdiction, dating back to the city’s 1925 Charter.
As the commission nears the finalization of its recommendations, Vice Chair Khansa T. Jones-Muhammad emphasized the significance of this process, stating, “We are in a historic moment.”
The recent event provided one of the last opportunities for public input, encouraging community members to share their perspectives before the commission submits its final report. Once presented to city leaders, officials decide how to implement meaningful reparative measures.
For more information and updates on the reparations report, visit the LA Civil Rights Department.
