As a direct descendant of enslaved people, I carry their pain, sacrifice, and resilience in my heart. Their dream of freedom, and the hope that one of their descendants would rise to serve in the California State Assembly, empowers me daily, giving me purpose and strength. I know who I am. I know that the work I dedicate myself to honors my ancestors and the generations that will succeed me.

I fully support reparations for the descendants of formerly enslaved people in the United States.

Let’s be clear: reparations are not just one thing. No single action can repair the physical and emotional harm, or undo the generational economic damage, inflicted upon my family and millions of Black Americans who suffered through slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the War on Drugs. Reparations are many things, which is why the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) stood united this year and authored an impactful and thoughtful reparations legislative package of fourteen bills that begin the work of all Californians and all Americans to right the wrongs of the past.

These fourteen bills came directly from the 250 recommendations of the Reparations Task Force—a body that spent two years traveling across the state, gathering data and testimony to develop policies for reparations. The task force’s recommendations resulted from an exhaustive process of listening to the voices of Black Californians and documenting the injustices that continue to affect our communities.

In October 2023, the twelve-member CLBC convened to strategize how we would advance the first of a multi-year reparations bill package. We voted on key principles: that all our names would appear on the package of bills and that we would need to build coalitions while showing discipline to pass reparations legislation that may be unpopular with some voters. We are twelve members in a 120-member body and to pass something as significant as reparations, we understood that it would take inclusive, strategic work to get it done. We also needed to ensure our colleagues had the political will to vote for this package.

What we never anticipated, however, was that one of our biggest obstacles in passing this reparations package would come from within our own ranks—one black caucus member did more damage to our collective efforts to achieve reparations in California than any other legislator in the state.

From the outset, a black caucus member worked against the CLBC’s efforts. Days after the CLBC introduced its reparations legislative package, a black caucus member introduced his own reparations bills, not part of the CLBC’s work, and spent months attempting to negotiate away the $12 million that the CLBC had secured in this year’s state budget for his own project.

Despite our efforts to remain unified, one member of the caucus chose to hold a separate press conference, which caused unnecessary division when we needed to stand together. These bills will take time to pass, and we are asking the community to be patient and work with us to get this historic set of bills through the legislature. Of the 14 bills in our package, four of them stalled-some were held, others were watered down with amendments, or they simply didn’t have the votes. It’s been a long and difficult process, but we remain determined to see this through.

The lack of community support during critical moments has also been disheartening. We hoped for a stronger, more consistent turnout as we fought for reparations, only to be met with silence from some and hostility from others. After two years of fighting for Black people, it’s devastating to encounter such resistance. As we move forward, I will need my community to be present, from the very beginning, working alongside us to achieve the justice we all deserve.

The halls of the Capitol need to see and hear from Black people if we are going to get this done. I took on this fight because I love my people and I believe we deserve reparations for helping to build this great nation.

Reparations are essential for achieving true equity and ensuring that future generations of Black Americans have access to the same opportunities as everyone else. They are about addressing historical wrongs and recognizing the ongoing disparities that continue to harm Black communities today. For me, reparations are about far more than a monetary payment. We need the community to understand that this fight is far from over, and it requires all of us to work together because – together – we can Restore Black California for All California, ensuring that our shared future is just and equitable.

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor represents the cities and communities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lenox, Los Angeles, Marina del Rey, Playa del Rey, Venice, West Athens, Westchester, and Westmont in Los Angeles County.