TWe are grateful for the recent resolution approved by the Winston-Salem City Council apologizing to community members of African descent for our history of racial inequity. We hope it continues an essential journey of transformational policy and awareness in our community. It is right to call upon the U.S. Congress and our N.C. General Assembly to study and make recommendations for reparations to be paid to descendants of slavery. We support the passage of H.R. 40 currently in the U.S. House of Representatives and agree a similar action should take place in our state.
We believe our city should also take ownership with critical policy actions toward repair of the painful harm done to those of African descent. The resolution requires a twice per year report from the city manager on progress related to this apology. We call for a public dialogue about the meaning of such progress.