EVANSTON, IL, UNITED STATES, November 25, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- - Robin Rue Simmons, Founder and Executive Director of FirstRepair announced today that more than 200 community stakeholders, reparations advocates, scholars, public interest lawyers, elected officials and representatives of government from around the country are slated to attend the Fourth Annual National Symposium for State and Local Reparations December 4 – December 6 at the Hilton-Orrington in Evanston, IL.
The FirstRepair Symposium is a transformative gathering dedicated to advancing local reparations. Co-hosted with the National African American Reparations Committee (NAARC), the goal of the Symposium is to continue building a national network of local and state reparatory justice initiatives to promote information-sharing, networking and collaboration to strengthen the reparations movement in the U.S. This year’s theme, “Solutions Only,” focuses on creating actionable plans to make reparations both common sense and common place.
Among the speakers addressing the gathering will be Dr. Joy DeGruy, national and internationally renowned researcher and educator, and author of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing. Dr. DeGruy will discuss her work on African-American multigenerational trauma and implementing models of change, and the connections between interpersonal repair, Black joy, and the reparations movement.
The Symposium will feature presentations by experts and practitioners across the local and state reparations initiatives including Tina Lifford, Actress, Playwright and the CEO of The Inner Fitness Project; Alvin B. Tillery, Northwestern University Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy; Nkechi Taifa, Founder/Director of the Reparation Education Project Inc., convener emeritus of the Justice Roundtable, and Senior Fellow for the Columbia University Center for Justice; Dr. Amara Enya, Chairwoman of the International Civil Society Working Group for the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent; and Attorney Areva Martin, CNN contributor, award-winning civil rights attorney, civic leader, philanthropist and talk show host.
On Thursday, December 5, the City of Evanston Reparations Committee, the Reparations Stakeholder Authority of Evanston (RSAE) and NAARC will co-host a Town Hall Meeting, free and open to the public, held at the historic Second Avenue Baptist Church, 1717 Benson Avenue, Evanston, IL at 6:30 PM. Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste will guide a meaningful conversation with an intergenerational panel of Evanstonians, sharing personal stories, reflections, and the impact of reparations on their lives. For more information and to register for the event, please visit https://events.eventnoire.com/e/town-hall-solutions-only.
Opening of National Resource Center for State and Local Reparations
A major highlight of the Symposium will be the public launch of the National Resource Center for State and Local Reparations, a home for the national reparations movement to share best practices, connect to other leaders through resource and referral, support and technical assistance to localities implementing reparations, and foster collaboration among reparations leaders nationwide. The Resource Center will feature programming such as leadership cohorts, lecture series, retreats, and office hours. The Resource Center Library houses a diverse collection of books, journal articles, archives, and essential texts that serve as foundational resources for reparative work. In partnership with local community organizations, the National Resource Center will also serve the Evanston community through events like book talks, featured speakers, meeting space for community organizing and joint programming with Reparations partners.
Location of National Resource Center Designated African American Heritage Site in Evanston, Illinois
On the first day of the Symposium, Wednesday, December 4, the National Resource Center building location will receive designation from Shorefront Legacy Center as an Evanston African American Heritage Site, in recognition of the importance of the site’s importance to the African American community, nominated and guided by the local community.
FirstRepair especially thanks NAARC, the Evanston Community Foundation, Wellspring Philanthropic Partners, and Northwestern University for seed funding that made possible the launch of the Resource Center.
Press Inquiries or to Arrange Interviews please contact media@firstrepair.org.
The FirstRepair Symposium is a transformative gathering dedicated to advancing local reparations. Co-hosted with the National African American Reparations Committee (NAARC), the goal of the Symposium is to continue building a national network of local and state reparatory justice initiatives to promote information-sharing, networking and collaboration to strengthen the reparations movement in the U.S. This year’s theme, “Solutions Only,” focuses on creating actionable plans to make reparations both common sense and common place.
Among the speakers addressing the gathering will be Dr. Joy DeGruy, national and internationally renowned researcher and educator, and author of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing. Dr. DeGruy will discuss her work on African-American multigenerational trauma and implementing models of change, and the connections between interpersonal repair, Black joy, and the reparations movement.
The Symposium will feature presentations by experts and practitioners across the local and state reparations initiatives including Tina Lifford, Actress, Playwright and the CEO of The Inner Fitness Project; Alvin B. Tillery, Northwestern University Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy; Nkechi Taifa, Founder/Director of the Reparation Education Project Inc., convener emeritus of the Justice Roundtable, and Senior Fellow for the Columbia University Center for Justice; Dr. Amara Enya, Chairwoman of the International Civil Society Working Group for the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent; and Attorney Areva Martin, CNN contributor, award-winning civil rights attorney, civic leader, philanthropist and talk show host.
On Thursday, December 5, the City of Evanston Reparations Committee, the Reparations Stakeholder Authority of Evanston (RSAE) and NAARC will co-host a Town Hall Meeting, free and open to the public, held at the historic Second Avenue Baptist Church, 1717 Benson Avenue, Evanston, IL at 6:30 PM. Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste will guide a meaningful conversation with an intergenerational panel of Evanstonians, sharing personal stories, reflections, and the impact of reparations on their lives. For more information and to register for the event, please visit https://events.eventnoire.com/e/town-hall-solutions-only.
Opening of National Resource Center for State and Local Reparations
A major highlight of the Symposium will be the public launch of the National Resource Center for State and Local Reparations, a home for the national reparations movement to share best practices, connect to other leaders through resource and referral, support and technical assistance to localities implementing reparations, and foster collaboration among reparations leaders nationwide. The Resource Center will feature programming such as leadership cohorts, lecture series, retreats, and office hours. The Resource Center Library houses a diverse collection of books, journal articles, archives, and essential texts that serve as foundational resources for reparative work. In partnership with local community organizations, the National Resource Center will also serve the Evanston community through events like book talks, featured speakers, meeting space for community organizing and joint programming with Reparations partners.
Location of National Resource Center Designated African American Heritage Site in Evanston, Illinois
On the first day of the Symposium, Wednesday, December 4, the National Resource Center building location will receive designation from Shorefront Legacy Center as an Evanston African American Heritage Site, in recognition of the importance of the site’s importance to the African American community, nominated and guided by the local community.
FirstRepair especially thanks NAARC, the Evanston Community Foundation, Wellspring Philanthropic Partners, and Northwestern University for seed funding that made possible the launch of the Resource Center.
Press Inquiries or to Arrange Interviews please contact media@firstrepair.org.
Victoria Shire
FirstRepair
+1 (847) 563-8579
media@firstrepair.org
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