The Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation, and Truth (ARRT), a collaboration of California’s leading Black power-building and justice groups, commends Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of Assembly Bill 3089 by Assemblymember Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer, Sr. (D-Los Angeles), the formal acknowledgment of and apology for the State of California’s role in forced human enslavement.
AB 3089 affirms the state’s guarantee of remediation and non-repetition and provides permanent public access to such an apology in the California State Capitol complex and the California State Archives. Along with the other bills in the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) legislative package, this bill marks a historic step towards reparations and social justice.
“By enacting AB 3089, California formally recognizes and acknowledges the harms and atrocities caused by its role in this country’s institution of chattel slavery and its vestiges, and affirms its commitment to historical truth-telling at a time when half the states in our nation have disavowed truth and embraced counterfactualism by passing so-called anti-critical race theory laws,” said Lisa Holder, an ARRT leader, a former member of the reparations task force, and President of the Equal Justice Society. “The bill affirms California’s role in protecting the descendants of enslaved people as well as the civil, political, and socio-cultural rights of Black Californians, particularly during a time when the rights of Black and Brown communities and other traditionally underrepresented groups are being targeted, attacked, and devalued.”
“While we applaud the passage of AB 3089, it alone is not enough to repair the harm caused by California’s role in chattel slavery and its vestiges,” said James Woodson, an ARRT leader and Executive Director of California Black Power Network. “The passage of the apology bill is significant because it is the first step to addressing harm by acknowledging its existence before beginning the work to repair it – but it is only the first step, and much more needs to be done for us to truly deliver reparations for Black Californians.”
ARRT also commends Governor Newsom for signing into law the following measures that we supported:
- AB 1815 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Discrimination: race: hairstyles.
- AB 1986 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – State prisons: banned books.
- AB 2319 by Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) – California Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act.
- SB 1089 by Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) – Food and prescription access: grocery and pharmacy closures.
Earlier this year, Governor Newsom signed into law our other priorities: AB 1929 by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, which established the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program, administered by the State Department of Education, with the purpose of encouraging, maintaining, and strengthening the delivery of high-quality career technical education programs; and AB 3131 by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) – Strong Workforce Program: applicants receiving equity multiplier funding.
ACA 8 by Assemblymember Lori Wilson, which will amend the state’s constitution to prohibit slavery in any form, will appear on the November ballot as Proposition 6.
The signing of this package of reparations bills marks a historic moment for California and signifies a step towards the realization of comprehensive reparations. We look forward to the upcoming 2024-25 legislative session and partnering with the California Legislative Black Caucus to build on this groundbreaking legislative effort toward complete reparative justice for Black Californians.
We call on media outlets to continue emphasizing the importance of comprehensive reparations aligned with the taskforce recommendations and the United Nations’ five requirements, frame reparations as a multi-year endeavor, and accurately highlight the current legislative efforts, ensuring public awareness and engagement in this critical issue.
By working together, we can foster a unified movement that not only challenges systemic and anti-Black racism but also promotes truth, healing, and reparative justice. It is imperative that we galvanize support, inform the public, and inspire active civic participation. Together, we can ensure that truth, justice, and reconciliation prevail in California and beyond.
For further information about ARRT and to support the mission for reparations, visit https://alliancefor.org.
