Barbara Lee applauds California reparations as a ‘human right long overdue’

[Valin]

The Washington Examiner

Cami Mondeaux, Congressional Reporter
May 06, 2023

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) applauded the recommendation of paying reparations to black residents in California, calling the move a “human right” that has been “long overdue” for decades.

“Reparations are not a luxury for our people, but a human right long overdue for millions of Americans,” Lee said during a meeting with California's Reparations Task Force on Saturday. “The atrocities committed against black Americans are undeniable, and reparations are a tangible route to acknowledging and making amends to the glaring economic and social impacts of slavery and systemic racism. We must repair this damage.”

CALIFORNIA REPARATIONS TASK FORCE DRAFT PROPOSES UP TO $1.2 MILLION PAYMENTS FOR BLACK RESIDENTS

Lee’s comments come just hours before the task force is set to vote on its recommendations for a formal apology for California’s role in perpetuating slavery in the United States and the subsequent discrimination that followed. The proposal was calculated by a consulting team of five economists and policy experts that was created by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) in 2020.

The task force is expected to approve the package on Saturday, sending the proposal to state legislators for final approval.

(Snip)