On Reparations and Trump’s attacks

You may have seen the news that the Trump administration is suing the City of Evanston over our first-in-the-nation reparations program.

Here are some facts about the program:

• It offers Black residents and their descendants up to $25,000 to attempt to address specific policies of race-based housing discrimination in Evanston from the early 20th Century.

• The program was approved in 2021, and has been celebrated as a model for the nation.

• Already, more than 200 claims have been filed through the program.

When we’ve done harm, it’s our responsibility to try to repair it. That’s what our reparations program is all about. It was created thoughtfully and intentionally, and we’re proud that it’s helping to make right what was wrong. We’ll keep standing up for the program in the face of Trump’s attacks.

Watch my interview with CNN about this wrongheaded lawsuit here.

Read more:

• Evanston Now: Biss defends reparations amid DOJ challenge

• The Guardian: Trump administration seeks to halt first US reparations program for Black people

• New York Times: Trump Officials Challenge Reparations Program in Chicago Suburb

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