Just Conversations | Voices from New York State’s Reparations Commission

In 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul established the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, tasked with examining the legacy of slavery, subsequent discrimination against people of African descent, and the impact these forces continue to have in the present day.

The nine-member commission, made up of scholars, legal experts, and community leaders, is researching the impact of slavery and systemic racism on Black communities in New York. Their goal is to issue a report with recommendations for reparations and policies to address inequities in areas like housing, education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.

Join us for the conversation below with one of the nine commissioners, Darrick Hamilton, economist and scholar in racial equity, and New York State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, a co-sponsor and key advocate for this legislation. The panel was moderated by Aria Florant, CEO of Liberation Ventures.

This program is part of Just Conversations, an ongoing event series co-presented by the Center for Brooklyn History and Brooklyn Org that brings into dialogue issues facing our borough, city, and society and gives voice to the change makers who move us towards a more equitable future.

This program is the second of two that focus on local reparations initiatives. To see a recording of the first, which explored reparations in New York City with Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Council Members Hudson, Louis, and Williams, click here.

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