Detroit Reparation Task Force Public Session
Detroit City Council
Politics
Saturday, June 1, 2024
2:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m. EDT
18100 Meyers Rd Detroit, MI 48235 (Directions)
Northwest Activities Center, Space 6
Message from the task force:
This meeting will be held in the basement in Space 6. Please plan to attend in person as internet connectivity issues may occur as a result of broadcasting from the basement of NWAC.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/87510091466
Check the source website for additional information
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Note-taking by
Autumn Jackson-Hines
The Task Force facilitated a group discussion focused on three main topics: the beauty of Detroit's Black community, harms to that community, and recommendations for repair. Several participants mentioned rectifying and recovering assets lost under emergency management.
Live reporting by
Nathaniel Eichenhorn
The Task Force facilitated a group discussion focused on three main topics: the beauty of Detroit's Black community, harms to that community, and recommendations for repair. Several participants mentioned rectifying and recovering assets lost under emergency management.
Nachum Eichenhorn
@NachumDetroit
Good afternoon #Detroit !
I will be live tweeting Detroit Reparations Task Force meeting today at 2pm for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
I will be live tweeting Detroit Reparations Task Force meeting today at 2pm for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
12:44 PM Jun 1, 2024 CDT
We're in the basement of the Northwest Activities Center, so the Internet may get spotty
The meeting has been called to order and a The Mandate for Black People by Mary Hooks was read
The attendees have been asked to suggest, though the form, the priorities of the Task Force. The Task Force is now describing the various options
"This is a citizen-driven process and we want to make it stay that way"
Attendees are invited to take the form home if they wish, scan it and send it back later
We had a brief moment of silence and the Task Force amended the agenda to include public comment and approved. They'll hear public comment after New Business
Member Hazel gave the Treasurer's report, the gist of which is that a more comprehensive report is forthcoming next month
The Housing and Land Use Committee reports that the discussions are going apace and suggested reparations are forming. The subcommittee now turns to the citizenry for input and suggestions. The survey should be completed by the July TF meeting
Member Larsosa and Ford for the Government and Policy Subcommittee. That Subcommittee has outlined what Larsosa calls "buckets of work"
The first bucket is to address the impact of policing on the Black community. Further, emphasizing the impact of trucking on the community
They also suggest forming a further committee after the dissolution of the task Force with a focus on environmental policy and liaison with the city government
Specifically, to address the destruction of Black Bottom, and the subsequent placing of black people in new, devastatingly polluted lots next to toxic materials
Now the TF moves on to address the enormous income tax burden of City residents vs the suburbs
Larsosa points out that Detroiters are often restricted from suburban public lands, while city parks and attractions are open to suburban residents free of charge. It is suggested that a similar charge might be introduced
Member Hazel now speaks for the Quality of Life Committee. Meetings if that committee are being reduced to once a month
This committee is also asking for recommendations and feedback from the public on the topics such as food deserts, noise and other quality of life issues
Access to clean water is another area the committee is working on. Member Hazel suggests relief for sewage and runoff management costs
The committee is also concerned with accessibility in the city. Member Hazel discusses being traumatized by city transit, and its lack of accomodations for people with disabilities. This must include more regular bus stops
"We're gonna try something a little different. We're gonna try to have a conversation"
Member Larsosa is emphasizing the importance of feedback and is talking about how the TF might facilitate discussion in this meeting
The TF tried breakout sessions last time, and there isn't room this meeting, so they're going to try different strategies. He emphasizes that this is a trial shot and it might be a little shaky
There are big sticks notes all over the room. People are volunteering to take notes for everybody
We are discussing "group agreements" that will govern this discussion
Member Hazel mentions that Accessibility must include making the content of this meeting freely available to those who, through no fault of their own, can not attend.
Member Larsosa says that two broad questions will be discussed today. They are:
What are the beautiful things about Black people in Detroit? What do you think about when you think about the beauty of the community?
What are the beautiful things about Black people in Detroit? What do you think about when you think about the beauty of the community?
What are the harms that have been caused to the Black community? How has the city, or its government, harmed Black people or, through inaction, allowed Black people to come to harm?
One attendee is talking about the great contributions to progressive politics, and how many activists and protesters are from the Black community of Detroit
Attendee: I find it beautiful that Detroit is tolerant, but when the people have had enough, they raise their voices and speak up
Attendee: the architects of water affordability legislation are Detroiters
Detroit is a model for water security across the United States and the Lifeline program is being looked at by other municipalities for guidance
Rosa Parks, though not from Detroit, was deeply involved in Detroit activism, and Malcolm X gave an influential speech in Detroit.
She goes on to mention that Detroit is the Blackest city in the country, and is a great contributor to the Black middle class
She goes on to mention that Detroit is the Blackest city in the country, and is a great contributor to the Black middle class
A Zoom caller says that every elected position in the City is corrupt and stolen, and that elections in the city are not legitimate. He is thanked for his input
This Zoom caller is addressing the "harm" question. She suggests that much of the city's problem is due to lax elected officials
She details how every call she has made to the city government has gone unanswered. That city officials actively harm the citizenry through neglect
She has had serious, upsetting issues through the Home Revitalization Program.
Larsosa emphasizes that city neglect of residents is leading to health issues due to the stress and ostensible hopelessness of the situation they find themselves in
Attendee: the majority of the artists in Motown were regularly taken advantage of by industry executives and not compensated properly
Attendee: The community lacks a local jury pool, Detroiters are often tried by citizens of cities like Livonia
The lack of affordable legal representation is also an issue, says the same attendee
She continues that even people who own houses for many years are becoming unable to afford to live in Detroit due to the cost of taxes and city services
Attendee: Black Detroiters are policed by outside officers who do not know them and have no interest in neighborhood peace. This destroys communities by alienating citizens from each other as well as their government
Attendee: despite ostensible water relief, the drainage fees can run into the hundreds of dollars a month. It amounts to a rain tax on Black people. A business owner, this attendee says that he is now unsure if his business will attain its 30th anniversary.
Member Hazel describes historic sites in the city, especially artifacts of the city's rich musical history. The city neglects, and then seeks to destroy, important buildings to the Detroit community, in particular the Black community
A Task Force member adds their input and says that the wholesale demolishing of buildings not only destroys the city's history, but by forcing residents to raise their children in such a barren, inhospitable landscape, it robs the children of any ability to imagine a future.
Attendee: Nobody yet has mentioned the abuse of HUD subsidies by absentee slumlords
Further, units seems to fill up before vacancies are even publicized
Attendee: We are caught up in what has been done to Black people, but we should be asking ourselves what should Black people DO in practice to effect change? She suggests voting activism
Attendee: Slavery was fixed as a condition passing to children through the maternal line, and therefore reparations should focus on Black mothers
Attendee: in the aftermath of the Civil War, black veterans were directed to bivouac at Camp Ford, which was quickly burned by roving Copperheads, including the fist symphony orchestra in Detroit.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copperhea…
An attendee defended charter schools and suggested the Task Force support Black venture capitalists. The reception from the room was less than enthusiastic
That ends the discussions. The Task Force is now moving on to public comment, which will be more general than the facilitated discussion
Attendee: we should go to the City Council and demand money owed to the citizens in person
The same attendee says home repairs are being denied to citizens by vindictive representatives who will withhold help in response to protest from citizens
Another attendee urges the TF to be more punctual and reliable with posting the minutes of these TF meetings
Attendee: Macomb County successfully sued Wayne and now no longer pay drainage fees, so at this point the residents of Oakland and Macomb benefit from Detroit water and sewer but the burden to pay for it is exclusively in Detroiters
The next attendee says that the atomized reparations task forces being established in various City will be less effective than a combined, national movement addressing the Federal government, rather than dozens of smaller municipalities
The next attendee says the loss of the water department is a devastating blow to the city, and says the emergency manager has been ineffective and harmful to Black citizens, and suggests that the emergency manager law be repealed
The next attendee also emphasizes the loss of city assets as unjustly, and deeply harmful to the people with no real benefit to the wider community
The next attendee is describing the opioid problem in schools. This is leading to over policing in schools, which brings no actual benefit to the children themselves
The next attendee says that Detroit is 85% Black, but only 20% vote, therefore the solution is right in front of everybody. He suggests to vigorously encourage voting.
The next attendee says the best solution is simply cash reparations, and suggests a Hate Crime Bill focusing on anti-Black crimes
The next attendee suggests expanded free trade with the nations of Africa and the Caribbean to effect reparations for the countries formerly subject to the transatlantic slave trade
That's it for public comments, and the Task Force is moving onto some announcements
Member Hazel is urging the attendees to not keep this issues in this room, but rather to send these feelings andnl ideas to the White House through
Whitehouse.gov
Well folks, this closes my coverage of the Detroit Reparations Task Force meeting for June 1st, 2024. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings at
documenters.org
If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line
Attachments
Agency Information
Detroit City Council
The Detroit City Council is the legislative body of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The Council is responsible for the creation of local laws—called ordinances. Additionally they pass resolutions, motions, and the proposed city budget. The full-time council is required to meet every business day for at least 10 months of the year, with at least eight of these meetings occurring at a location besides city hall. The council may convene for special meetings at the call of the mayor or at least four members of council. Areas of responsibility for the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee include, Budget, Finance and the Auditor General.
City Council members are elected on the same cycle as the Mayor and will be elected in 2021. Seven members represent the seven council districts, while two members are elected at-large.
Documents
6/1/2024
6/1/2024
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