illi News - Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson Announces Juneteenth Task Force Members

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CHICAGO – Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the appointment of members to the Chicago Reparations Task Force. The 40-member Task Force includes 25 individuals nominated by the Mayor's Office and the Aldermanic Black Caucus, and 15 selected through a public application process. The Task Force is composed of community leaders, individuals with lived experience, and representatives of organizations that serve, represent, or advocate for Black communities.

"There's no better day to announce our Task Force members than Juneteenth," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "This is a day where we recognize our past, celebrate our people, and build a better vision for our future. This Task Force will take us one step closer to achieving reparations and restoration for our ancestors. Chicago is proud to be a city that will always fight for justice and equity for all Chicagoans."

Mayor Johnson, in partnership with the Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ) and the Aldermanic Black Caucus, launched the public application process for Chicago's Reparations Task Force in April. Created by Executive Order 2024-1 and launched on Juneteenth 2024, this task force will support a historic effort to develop Chicago's first comprehensive reparations study, a critical step forward in acknowledging, addressing, and repairing generations of harm experienced by Black communities.

"The Chicago's Reparations Taskforce will showcase how reparative efforts are strongest when grounded in truth telling and lived experiences," said Chief Equity Officer Carla Kupe. This group will harness the collective power of the city by bringing together community-based organizations, advocates, storytellers, and more to create a path toward a more equitable city."

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"I look forward to working alongside my colleagues in the Aldermanic Black Caucus and our newly appointed members of the Reparations Task Force to move us forward on the journey for justice, equity, and progress for our communities," said Ald. Desmon Yancy, 5th Ward. "The Reparations Task Force and Study is more than a policy initiative — it is a moral obligation. It's about righting historic wrongs, honoring our ancestors, and building a future rooted in dignity and fairness for all."

The Task Force is made up of multi-sectored representatives from community-based organizations with the capacity to support the implementation of Executive Order 2024-1, as well as individuals who have lived experience, especially as residents or displaced residents of historically Black neighborhoods, but who may not be connected to an organization or particular sector.

"I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to the Commander-in-Chief of the great City of Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson, for his unshakeable commitment to the Reparations Task Force. As we continue to work in concert with the Mayor's Office, The Office of Equity and Racial Justice, Reparations organizations across Chicago, and Local Task Force Members, we are on the threshold of establishing a groundbreaking precedent that will empower cities across the United States to make Reparations a reality for the Descendants of the Enslaved population," said Vetress Boyce, Community Co-Chair of Chicago Reparations Task Force. "My conviction is that Reparations can serve as a beacon of hope, illuminating a pathway to healing and restoration for a population that has endured centuries of systemic oppression and disinvestment. By harnessing the redemptive power of Reparations, we can bridge the gaps of inequality and create opportunities for a more equitable and just society, where every individual can thrive and reach their full potential."

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A full list of selected members, pending final confirmation, can be found below:

Allen Linton II

Kenneth Gilliam, Jr

Crystal Warren

Kina Collins

Lynne Mock

Maya Horton

Rev. Dr. Robert Spicer, Sr.

Treazure Owens

Xia Williams

Dr. Akilah Mukarram (aka Dr. Glennie King)

Nakisha Hobbs

Katanya Raby

Willie Fleming

Ebony Only

Sharif Walker

Pilar Audain

Algenoy LaVandis Alexander

Angel Velez

Christian Harris

Syda Taylor

Tonika Johnson

Thea Crum

Elizabeth Carter

Myiti Sengstacke Rice

Miranda Easley (Alexandria)

Dr. Glenance Green

Juan Sebastian Arias

Jhmira Alexander

Adam Slade

Eliana Green

Eric Malone

Tanya Watkins

Melanie Barnett

Malcolm Crawford

Wallace E. "Mickey" Johnson

Dr. Demetrice D. Griffin

Maurice Woodard

Kafi Moragne-Patterson

Vetress Boyce

Dion Dawson

The Chicago Reparations Task Force will support a historic effort to build Chicago's first Reparations Study. In partnership with the City's Office of Equity and Racial Justice and the Aldermanic Black Caucus, Task Force members will help shape how the City acknowledges, addresses, and repairs generations of harm experienced by Black communities and residents in Chicago. The Chicago Reparations Task Force represents a significant step forward in the City's ongoing efforts to acknowledge past harms and build a more just and equitable future.

Task Force members are charged with defining what Black reparations means in the specific context of Chicago, identifying key areas of harm for redress (e.g., housing, policing, incarceration, education, health, and economic development), and helping to develop recommendations and remedies for reparative actions while supporting the development of Chicago's Reparations Study. Task Force members will conduct research, public engagement, and popular education around reparations.

Filed Under: Government, City

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