Stock Photo. (Courtesy of Canva)
Some of the most respected reparations activists in California will be coming together with faith leaders in California for the inaugural “Southern California Faith Leaders Reparations Roundtable.” on Feb. 11.
The roundtable is being hosted by Freedmen Ignited Reparations Project in partnership with Loveland Church – Fontana from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the church, located at 17977 Merrill Avenue in Fontana.
The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. There are only 200 seats available, so organizers request attendees RSVP by Friday, Feb. 4.
Juanita Watson is the president of the Freedmen Ignited Reparations Project. She told Moguldom it was important the faith community is at the table for modern-day reparative and restorative justice conversations and legislation.
“Black Americans are in the battle of our lives as we fight for reparative and restorative justice by way of a robust rectifying ‘lineage-based’ reparations compensation package on the state and federal levels. We have not had this platform for a very long time. In fact, the Civil Rights Act was the last major national push for repair,” Watson told Moguldom. “However, as with all civil rights movements in the Black community, the Black Church has always been at the forefront leading the charge.”
“Therefore, we are targeting the faith community, leading civil rights organizations, other human rights and Black empowerment advocacy organizations, and individuals to become more educated, enlightened and engaged in this modern reparations movement,” Watson continued.
According to organizers, attendees will discuss California reparative and restorative justice and the reparations bills AB 3121 & SB 189 signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Chris Lodgson, lead organizer of the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC), will be the keynote speaker. Other special guest presenters include attorney Kamilah Moore and Rev. Dr. Amos Brown, the chair and co-chair of the historic California Reparations Task Force; Khansa T. Jones-Muhammad, President of NAASDLA; and reparations activists Chad Brown and Tiffany Quarles of NAASDLA and CJEC; Loveland Church Pastors Chuck and Charlyn Singleton; and others.
Lodgson told Moguldom he was “honored” to serve as the keynote speaker for the inaugural roundtable.
“Our faith leaders and the faith community generally have and will continue to be critical to the success of movements for justice, liberation, and, in our case, reparations,” Lodgson said. “The Coalition for a Just and Equitable California is continuing its work of uplifting California Reparations and the California Reparations Task Force. As an anchor organization for the Task Force, it both our duty and privilege to bring communities together, especially communities of all faiths.”
To RSVP for the SoCal Faith Leaders Reparations Roundtable, click here or email Watson at nita53787@yahoo.com.
