Is it Enough to Be Pro-Reparations for Black Americans?
I remember going pro-Black during the peak of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and starting to support Black-owned businesses like D'IYANU. Then I started learning about the reparations for Black Americans movement. Today, many, which definitely is synonymous with "not all," Blacks are joining pro-Black and reparationist spaces to hear about reparations initiatives. It is a good incentive for African Americans new to efforts centered around rebuilding Black communities. That should only be a starting point.
Reparations Shouldn't Require Recipients' Payment Plans
I believe it was American Descendants of Slaves (ADOS) Foundation's Yvette Carnell who said that Black Americans shouldn't have to submit plans for how we intend to spend the money. The US didn't require the Japanese who were forced in internment camps during World War II (WWII) to explain how they planned to use their reparations. I doubt Germany asked Holocaust survivors. This is just one of many racist arguments used as excuses to deny Blacks reparations.
Dr. Umar Johnson was right when said we should have a plan, more than clearing debt. That brings me to my main point. In some of these Reparations Commission meetings, whether they're hosted by National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC) or smaller ones for specific cities or states, Black folks be complaining about board members not doing enough. I've seen people ask why members aren't doing this or that, or how were they selected. These are legitimate questions. But I don't hear many people saying that they're going to do these things to actively contribute. Meanwhile, "wypipo" are revving up the Black codes in our faces.
Initiative
Many reparationist groups are working on the political level to hold the US government accountable for their excuses against it, including this gaslighting "Critical Race Theory" (CRT) mess. But just like the mission to acquire equal federal support for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), there are things that any Black person can and should do to aid the reparations mission and bring more onto the cause, and on code. Take initiative.
- Learn history, starting with your family tree to prepare for lineage-based reparations
- Collaborate and in other ways support Black-owned schools, other businesses, and HBCUs
- Follow sociopolitical topics, including the King Alfred plan-esque conspiracy theories about eliminating people of Black African descent.
- Get involved in pro-Black organizations' local chapters, specifically National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and ADOS Foundation, even though the former seems highly ineffective in its supposed mission when compared to the latter
- Share this info with others
Advocacy and informed conversations about these things exponentially increase the education levels of Black families and communities. Be the progress you want to see. Overcome the tribalism which doomed our ancestors.
Do not wait for reparations to do anything. Apparently, that is a thing. Focus on your grind. Reparations for Blacks is far from guaranteed.
