>> WELCOME TO BASIC BLACK.

SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

I'’M CALLIE CROSSLEY, HOST OF, UNDER THE RADAR, 89.7.

TONIGHT: REPARATIONS.

FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS , REPARATIONS IS NO LONGER JUST AN IDEA.

ABOUT A DOZEN STATES CURRENTLY HAVE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE HARM CAUSED BY SLAVERY AND ITS LEGACY OF SYSTEMIC RACISM.

AND NEARLY TWO DOZEN CITIES ARE ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO OFFER REPAIR FOR THE DESCENDANTS OF THE MILLIONS OF ENSLAVED AFRICANS.

BOSTON RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A TASK FORCE ON REPARATIONS BOTH TO STUDY REPARATIONS AND TO LEAD A PUBLIC DIALOGUE IN THE COMMUNITY.

IS A CITY WITH A FRAUGHT RACIAL HISTORY READY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE HARM DONE AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF COMPENSATION FOR THAT HARM?

JOINING US THIS EVENING, GEORGE "CHIP" GREENIDGE, MEMBER, BOSTON TASK FORCE ON REPARATIONS AND FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, GREATEST MINDS.

TRACI GRIFFITH, DIRECTOR, RACIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM, ACLU MASSACHUSETTS AND CARRIE MAYS, YOUTH ACTIVIST, STUDENT AT U-MASS BOSTON AND MEMBER OF BOSTON'’S TASK FORCE ON REPARATIONS WELCOME TO YOU ALL.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

CALLIE: YOU, CARRIE AND CHIP, HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE BEFORE, YOU LED THE BIGGEST BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST IN THE CITY.

AND GEORGE, WE'’VE HAD VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS FOR VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS ALL ALONG.

AND TRACI, THIS IS WHERE YOU LIVE IN TALKING ABOUT WHERE AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE WHEN TALKING ABOUT RACE AND SLAVERY.

I THINK ALL OF YOU KNOW, AND I DO ALSO, THAT THERE WAS SLAVERY IN MASSACHUSETTS.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'’T.

SO WE WILL START THERE, LET'’S START, GEORGE, THERE WAS SLAVERY HERE.

GEORGE: THERE WAS.

WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION.

IT'’S BRINGING OUT THE FOLKLORE, THE CONVERSATION, AND THE WORDS OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WE WILL HAVE THIS LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT DOES REPARATIONS AND WHAT DOES PREPARE MEAN -- WHAT DOES REPAIR MEAN.

I'’M GLAD THAT OUR MAYOR HAS DECIDED TO TAKE THIS ON IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN BREWING FOR YEARS.

I THINK THE TIME IS NOW AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INTERESTED, AT THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION AND THE LOCAL CONVERSATION WE SEE THE PLANETS BEING ALIGNED TO BRING SOME MOVEMENTS ON THIS.

CALLIE: CARRIE, YOU HAVE BEEN MEETING BEFORE THE TASK FORCE WAS EVER ANNOUNCED ON THIS.

CARRIE: ABSOLUTELY.

IT WAS NOT JUST ONE PERSON, IT WAS COMMUNITY-BASED.

LAST YEAR A GROUP OF COMMUNITY LEADERS, ACTIVISTS, AND GRASSROOTS BASED MOVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS GOT TOGETHER AND WERE MEETING TOGETHER FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR.

IF NOT TWO YEARS, BEFORE THIS CAME ABOUT.

AND WE MET AS A TASK -- WE MET AS A COMMUNITY TO SAY WHAT WILL THIS ORDINANCE IN THE LANGUAGE LOOK LIKE.

AND BASICALLY I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE PEOPLE WHO CREATED THE LANGUAGE FOR WHAT GOT PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

CALLIE: OK, DURING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE REPARATIONS TASK FORCE COMMITTEE SEGUN IDOWU, BOSTON'’S CHIEF OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION, PROVIDED HISTORY AND CONTEXT OF MASSACHUSETTS'’ ROLE IN SLAVERY.

>> ITS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT IN 1641 NOT IN GEORGIA, OR FLORIDA OR NORTH CAROLINA, OR VIRGINIA BUT IN MASSACHUSETTS, IT WAS THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY, IT WAS JOHN WINTHROP WHO WROTE "THE BODY OF LIBERTIES" WHICH CODIFIED SLAVERY, WHEN THEY WERE 13 COLONIES.

AND SO FOR ALMOST 200 YEARS, THE SPIRIT OF MASSACHUSETTS REALLY WAS THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA, A STATE WHICH LOBBIED FOR, WHICH BUILT THE BOATS, WHICH HIRED THE CREW MEN, THAT ALLOWED THIS INSTITUTION TO CONTINUE.

CALLIE: SO, TRACI, WHAT HE SAID, IS THE REASON WHY HE'’S BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON HR 40, WHICH IS THE LEGISLATIVE BILL THAT HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE HOUSE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

TELL US WHAT HR 40 IS.

TRACI: IT ADDRESSES -- SLAVERY, AND THE HISTORICAL PIECE OF IT IS A FACT.

IT HAPPENED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, IN MASSACHUSETTS, AND THE BILL ALLOWS US TO LOOK FEDERALLY AT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT.

BECAUSE THE HISTORY IS ONE THING BUT THE LINGERING EFFECTS OF SLAVERY ARE ANOTHER THING.

WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE THINGS THAT HAVE COME AS A RESULT OF SLAVERY THAT FIND IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND THE INEQUITIES THAT CONTINUE TO EXIST.

CALLIE: I'’M GOING TO COME ALONE -- I'’M GOING TO QUOTE YOU TO YOU.

AND ALL THE YEARS FIGHTING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, 400 PLUS YEARS OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND OPPRESSION.

THAT'’S WHERE WE START WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REPARATIONS.

TRACI: RIGHTS, WHEN WE ADD UP ALL OF THOSE YEARS OF REPRESSION -- OF A PASSION -- OF OPPRESSION WE END UP WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

IT AND SUB IN THE LIVES OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS TODAY AND THOSE LIVING THEIR LIVES IN MASSACHUSETTS.

THAT IS THE TASK FORCE, HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE 400 YEARS, PLUS THE YEARS OF JIM CROW, AND THE YEARS THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS CONTINUE TO ENDURE THE EFFECTS OF SLAVERY.

HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT?

CALLIE: THERE ARE THREE PHASES TO THE TASK FORCE, RESEARCH WHICH YOU ARE ENGAGED IN.

AND THEN THERE'’S COMMUNITY EXCHANGE, A LOT OF COMMUNITY EXCHANGE.

AND THEN YOU NEED TO RECOMMEND WHAT COMES OUT OF YOUR GROUP AND REPORT.

I WANT TO START, YOUR FIRST MEETING WAS THIS WEEK, GEORGE?

GEORGE: WE HAD ANOTHER -- WE ARE ABOUT TO HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING.

CALLIE: YOU ARE FROM MULTIPLE GENERATIONS, AND THERE IS A LOT OF DIVERSITY IN THE GROUP, BUT THE PEOPLE WITHIN THE GROUP ARE DEALING WITH LINEAGE, WHO ARE THE FOLKS WHO CAME FROM ENSLAVED AFRICANS.

AND THERE SHOULD BE A WAY TO -- THERE IS NOT EXACTLY A WAY TO TRACE IT ACT, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THAT.

AND YOU KEEP USING THE WORD REPAIR IN ADDITION TO THE WORD REPARATIONS, WHY?

GEORGE: I WANTED US TO LOOK AT THINGS, -- I WOKE UP IN THE 9 -- I GREW UP IN THE 90'’S IN BOSTON, AND I REMEMBER CAROL STEWART AND HER BEING MURDERED BY HER HUSBAND AND IT WAS BLAMED ON A BLACK MAN.

WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF STOP AND FOR IN POLICING, AND THE WAR ON DRUGS.

IT REALLY ISSUES THAT HAPPENED AROUND THE SENTENCING OF PEOPLE WITH COCAINE AND CRACK ADDICTION AND ALL OF THOSE OTHER THINGS.

THEY SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS WELL WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.

PARTICULARLY IN A BOSTON WAY WHEN WE LOOK AT NUMBERS AND HISTORY AND DATA AS WELL.

CALLIE: ALL OF THOSE THINGS, PEOPLE WERE CONSTRICTED BY LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES CERTAINLY, AND VERY MUCH SO BY BIAS.

GEORGE: AND BUSSING.

BUSSING, IT IS AMAZING THAT WE ARE NOW HAVING LARGER COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE EFFECTS ON BUSSING ON YOUNG CHILDREN AND THE DEMAND IN FAMILIES.

WE ALSO WANT TO MENTION INTERGENERATIONAL POVERTY.

THERE ARE CERTAIN FAMILIES WHO WERE BORN AND RAISED HERE, AND HAVE BEEN IN THE CYCLE OF INTERGENERATIONAL POVERTY, AND HOW CAN WE FIX -- HELP THEM BREAK THOSE CYCLES.

CALLIE: CARRIE I KNOW YOU SAID THAT YOU HAVE CERTAIN -- AROUND WHAT REPARATIONS SHOULD BE, BUT YOU ARE ALSO REPRESENTING OTHERS ON THIS TASK FORCE AND WHAT THEY MAY SEE AS THE RESULT OF YOUR COMMITTEE WORK.

CARRIE: SERVING AS A YOUNG PERSON IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME, AND A LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY TRULY AND REFLECTIVELY.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE SEE WHEN IT COMES TO SLAVERY AND THE EXACERBATION OF HARM THAT HAS COME FROM SLAVERY IS THE ERASURE OF HISTORY.

I DON'’T THINK ANYONE TALKS ABOUT -- AND I KNOW BECAUSE I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING THIS AS A YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN, THE PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM THAT THE WHITEWASHED CURRICULUM OF ART TEXTBOOKS HAVE DONE TO OUR PSYCHE.

AS YOUNG PEOPLE, NOT ONLY AM I SPEAKING FOR MYSELF BUT ALSO SPEAKING FOR BLACK AND BROWN YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED EXACERBATION OF THE EXISTING HARMS OF SLAVERY.

I LOOK TO BRING MY EXPERIENCE.

I LOOK TO BRING TO -- MY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.

AS YOUNG PEOPLE WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE -- CALLIE: OR DO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING TO LOSE?

CARRIE: WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT OUR CHAINS.

THIS IS A HISTORICAL EDUCATIONAL PROCESS NOT ONLY FOR ME BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THIS INTERGENERATIONAL HARM, THE ERASURE OF HISTORY THAT MY ELDERS AND MY GRANDPARENTS ALSO HAD TO FACE.

WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE HARMS AND ALSO LOOK AT THE HARMS TODAY.

THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINES.

WHEN I TALK ABOUT BLACK LIVES MATTER I'’M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT POLICE FOR TALENT HE I'’M TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE'’S, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND OUR SCHOOLS.

ALL OF THESE AREAS WHERE WE ARE SUFFERING AS A PEOPLE.

I AM BRINGING MY PERSPECTIVE, MY SPUNK, MY BLACK GIRL MAGIC, AND I'’M LOOKING TO BRING A YOUNGER PERSPECTIVE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY, THE CHILDREN'’S MARCH OF BIRMINGHAM, I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WAS THE CATALYST FOR DESEGREGATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

FAST FORWARD TO THE BPS WALKOUTS WHERE STUDENTS STOOD IN FRONT OF MILITARIZED PEPPER SPRING POLICE OFFICERS.

WOMEN LOOK AT THE MORALITY STAPLES OF OUR COUNTRY AND TO -- WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MORALITY STAPLES OF OUR COUNTRY AND WHO HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT, RISKING IT ALL FOR OUR COUNTRY, OR RISKING NOTHING, IT HAS BEEN YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE.

CALLIE: THERE WERE TWO YOUNG GIRLS AND THAT BLOODY MARCH IN SELMA, TO ADD TO THAT CONVERSATION.

THE FIRST STEP, HIS RESEARCH AS WE'’VE TALKED ABOUT.

HAVE YOU HIRED SOMEONE TO DO THAT RESEARCH?

ORIGIN: WE HAVE LOOKED -- GEORGE: WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO COME ON LINE AS TEAMS, TO TACKLE THIS AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR PROPOSALS.

CALLIE: ARE YOU OPEN TO THE PUBLIC BEFORE YOU GET TO THE COMMUNITY FACE OF IT?

GEORGE: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

TRACI: I BELIEVE SO.

CARRIE: WE ARE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING AND IT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE.

CALLIE: WE MENTIONED OF THE BEGINNING OF THIS THAT CITIES AND TOWNS ARE MOVING INDIVIDUALLY AS A BOSTON HAS TWO LOOK AT THIS AND TAKE STEPS.

IN SOME PLACES, STEPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN BUT IT'’S GOING TO SIT OR STAY PIECEMEAL.

SPEAK TO THAT AND WHAT YOU THINK OF THAT, AND IS THIS HOW IT WILL BE, OR WILL HR 40 TAKE OFF FROM A FEDERAL STANDPOINT?

TRACI: THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY IN THE UNITED STATES TO COMPENSATE THE DESCENDANTS OF AFRICAN SLAVES.

IF WE ARE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF PIECEMEAL, TOWN BY TOWN AND CITY BY CITY, THERE WILL BE LIMITED RESOURCES TO ADDRESS IT FINANCIALLY.

I'’M NOT SAYING THAT FINANCIALLY IS THE ONLY WAY BUT THERE WILL BE LIMITED RESOURCES.

BECAUSE SLAVERY WAS AN INSTITUTION OF THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES, IT BENEFITS US TO LOOK AT IT AS A FEDERAL ISSUE.

AND WE ARE HOPING, THAT THE BILL WILL GET THROUGH ON A FEDERAL LEVEL.

BECAUSE THAT REALLY IS THE ONLY WAY THAT IT CAN BE ADDRESSED EQUITABLY.

IT MIGHT LOOK DIFFERENT IN OKLAHOMA THAN IT LOOKS IN FLORIDA, THEN IT LOOKS IN MASSACHUSETTS.

IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION.

BUT CLEARLY, IT'’S AN ISSUE -- IT IS A NATIONWIDE ISSUE AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED THAT WAY.

CALLIE: NOW WE GET TO THE PART WHERE EVERYONE GETS EXERCISED ABOUT.

WHAT IS THE COMFORT -- WHAT IS THE COMPENSATION?

WE ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES AND HAVE NOT GOT TO THAT YET, BUT THAT IS WHAT FOLKS ARE SAYING.

PROBABLY YOU ARE GETTING PHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO HEARD FROM SAN FRANCISCO, WHO HEARD A PROPOSAL THAT EVERY DESCENDANT OF AFRICAN SLAVES IN THAT COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF REPARATIONS WOULD BE ENTITLED TO $5 MILLION EACH.

WHICH IS A STARTLING NUMBER, IN ADDITION TO OTHER THINGS.

AND RESPOND TO WHAT YOU KNOW HAS BEEN COMING, AND WHY PEOPLE SAY, I WAS IN HERE, I DIDN'’T DO THAT, WHY SHOULD WE BE TALKING ABOUT COMPENSATION AND THAT WAY?

GEORGE: CARRIE, DO YOU WANT TO GO FIRST?

CARRIE: YOU GAVE ME THE LOOK, THAT'’S A GREAT QUESTION.

PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE SUFFERING AT THE EXPENSE OF WHITES PREGNANCY -- AT THE EXPENSE OF WHITES OF PROMISEE.

PRIVILEGE IS A REAL THING IN AMERICA, AND I DON'’T THINK -- I DON'’T THINK THEY REALIZE THAT THEY ARE STILL BENEFITING FROM THE LABOR OF BLACK PEOPLE.

THIS IS INEVITABLY TIED TOGETHER.

YOU CANNOT TALK ABOUT SYSTEMIC ISSUES OF TODAY WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT SLAVERY, WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT COLONIALISM, WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THIS IS A CONNECTED TIMELINE.

AND SO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BENEFITING FROM THIS SYSTEM TODAY ARE BENEFITING AT THE EXPENSE OF THE LABOR, THE SUFFERING AND PILLAGING OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND STILL ARE SUFFERING AT THAT EXPENSE, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE INEQUITY OF THE WEALTH GAP IN BOSTON.

BLACK AMERICANS ARE NOT -- WORTH EIGHT DOLLARS BUT MAKING ON AVERAGE EIGHT DOLLARS.

VERSUS WHITE PEOPLE TO 175 $1000.

THAT IS TODAY.

-- $275,000.

THAT IS TODAY.

YOU ARE STILL BENEFITING FROM THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE EXPENSE AND LABOR OF BLACK PEOPLE TODAY.

GEORGE: WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF REDLINING IN THIS COUNTRY, THE WAY THAT THE G.I.

BILL WAS WRITTEN.

ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE PIECES THAT HAVE NOT HELP AFRICAN-AMERICANS BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.

SO THERE IS A NUMBER THAT CAN BE ATTACHED TO THAT.

AND I THINK WE ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE HOPE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR WILL WRITE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR US TO PUT THOSE NUMBERS INTO SOME KIND OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATION SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.

CALLIE: AS YOU SAID EARLIER, TRACI, HOW IT LOOKS IN OKLAHOMA MIGHT OUTLOOK THE SAME AS MASSACHUSETTS.

AND IT MAY BE CALCULATED DIFFERENT.

SPEAK NOW TO COMPENSATION AS WE ARE LOOKING AT IT THROUGH THIS TASK FORCE HERE.

TRACI: FIRST I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT CARRIE SAID, BEFORE WE CAN GET TO REPAIRING OR RECONCILIATION WE NEED TO GET TO THE TRUTH.

WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THE TRUTH AND I THINK THAT'’S A PLACE WHERE YOU START, THERE HAS TO BE SOME ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT HARM HAS OCCURRED BEFORE YOUR YOU CAN EVEN GET TO THE POINT OF COMPENSATION.

AND THE TERM COMPENSATION, I WOULD REALLY STRONGLY URGE YOU, THE TASK FORCE TO LOOK AT THE MULTIPLE WAYS IN WHICH COMPENSATION COULD HAPPEN.

IT NECESSARILY -- IS NOT NECESSARILY A DOLLAR AMOUNT.

IT REALLY FEELS AS IF THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER WAYS IT CAN BE ADDRESSED AND I THINK THEY REALLY NEED TO BE CREATIVE ABOUT THAT.

THE REALITY OF HANDING PEOPLE $5 MILLION THAT IS ABSURD.

THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

LET'’S BE TRUTHFUL.

THAT'’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND SO, IT THEY'’VE GOT TO BE CREATIVE ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH THIS KIND OF COMPENSATION HAPPENS.

BECAUSE UNLESS WE HAVE SOMETHING REALISTIC, THAT WILL BENEFIT PEOPLE, COMPENSATE PEOPLE AND RECOGNIZE THE HARM THAT HAS BEEN DONE, AGAIN I'’M NOT SURE WE CAN EVER DO THAT.

IF WE CAN MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION AND BE CREATIVE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, THEN WE CAN DO THAT.

BUT THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO DO THAT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE EFFECTS OF REDLINING AND ECONOMICALLY THE HARM THAT HAS BEEN DONE.

WE ARE MUCH BETTER AT FIGURING OUT WAYS TO COMPENSATE FOR THE ECONOMIC HARM.

WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH AND THE WAYS THAT RACISM HALFS -- RACISM HAS PLAYED INTO THAT AND SLAVERY HAS PLAYED INTO THE INEQUITIES IN THAT.

AND INEQUITIES THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE AFFECTED AND BROUGHT US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WE NEED TO LOOK AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AND COMPENSATE >> EVEN ONLY 20 YEARS AGO, WE DON'’T NEED TO GO BACK SO FOR, THERE WAS AN ADMIN -- THERE WAS AN ADMINISTRATION THAT THOUGHT THEY DIDN'’T NEED MORE BLACK RESTAURANTS IN THE CITY, WE CAN LOOK AT HOW LIQUOR LICENSES HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTING AND HOW IT IS VERY HIGH IN THE ITALIAN AND IRISH UNITIES AND NOT IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

ALL OF THESE ARE WEALTH BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND BLACK BOSTONIANS HAVE BEEN CUT OUT BY LAWS AND SYSTEMATIC WAYS THAT ARE CITY GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO GUYS THINGS AND SAY, EVERYTHING FOR THE PEOPLE.

BUT REALLY -- CARRIE: OUR CONVERSATION WHEN IT COMES TO COMPENSATION IT IS ONLY MATERIAL, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT POSTTRAUMATIC SLAVE STRESS DISORDER.

IT IS A WAY THAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SABOTAGED.

PEOPLE NEED TO GET THROUGH THEIR HEAD, THAT JUST BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE GET REPARATIONS DOES NOT MEAN THAT RACISM WILL BE OVER, REPARATIONS WILL NOT STOP POLICE FROM KILLING BLACK MEN IN THE STREETS, IT WILL NOT STOP BLACK WOMEN FROM DYING AT THE HIGHEST DEMOGRAPHIC NUMBER, AND IT WILL NOT STOP THE INCARCERATION AND SYSTEM THAT WE ARE SEEING TODAY, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT REPARATIONS THEY THINK THAT'’S WHERE IT ENDS, NO THAT'’S WHERE IT SHOULD BE HELD.

THAT IS WHAT AMPLIFIES THE CONVERSATION TO SAY, HOW DO WE EQUITABLY, QUANTIFY THE HARM.

NOT A DOLLAR AMOUNT WILL COME HOME WILL HEAL THE HARM.

BUT WE NEED A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEYOND MATERIALISM, AND A LOT OF HARM HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT -- BUT BLACK PEOPLE DESERVED TO GET PAID AND GET THEIR DOLLARS.

GEORGE: THERE IS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES OF WHAT -- AS WELL ABOUT THE TRANSITIONS -- AND -- TRADITIONS AND THE WAYS THAT THEY HAVE PROMOTED SO THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS CANNOT SUCCEED IN THIS CITY AND IN THIS CLIMATE.

WE NEED TO ADD TO THE PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY ARE PERPETUATING SYSTEMATIC RACISM.

>> WE SHOULD SAY SOME OF THAT IS HAPPENING, HARVARD STEPPED UP LAST YEAR AND SAID $100 MILLION FUND, WE RECOGNIZED WHAT HAPPENED AT THE UNIVERSITY AND THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE BLOCKED FROM -- AND MORE THAN THAT WE BUILT OUR WEALTH ON THE BACKS OF -- THAT WAS A CONVERSATION, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TASK FORCE AND CAME UP WITH THAT, AND NOW THEY ARE WORKING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF WHO GETS REPARATIONS AS A RESULT OF THAT.

LISTEN, WE ARE IN A CITY WITH A FRAUGHT HISTORY.

AMERICA DOES NOT HAVE A FRAUGHT HISTORY, BUT THIS CITY IN PARTICULAR HAS ONE.

SO HOW DO YOU PROCEED IN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION SO THAT IT IS A CIVIC DISCUSSION AND NOT SOMETHING THAT GOES OFF THE RAILS.

LET'’S START WITH YOU.

TRACI: IT INVOLVES A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS.

IT INVOLVES HAVING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY AND INSTITUTIONS I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE A VERY BROAD DISCUSSION.

EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE.

AND THAT MIGHT MEAN YOU HAVE TO EXPAND THE TABLE A LITTLE BIT AND RING IN A FEW EXTRA CHAIRS.

BUT UNLESS THERE IS A CONVERSATION THAT INVOLVES PEOPLE AT EVERY LEVEL WITHIN THE SOCIETY, I THINK IT CAN STALL.

IT NEEDS TO BE EQUITABLE.

CALLIE: ALL RIGHT.

GEORGE: I AM ABOUT GENERATIONAL APPROACHES, IT IS WORK THAT I'’VE BEEN DOING I SLIDE THAT CARRIE AND MANY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT YOU WORK WITH AND I WORK WITH ARE READY TO TAKE THIS DISCUSSION ON.

CALLIE: THERE ARE YOUNGER FOLKS ON THE TASK FORCE.

GEORGE: THAT'’S RIGHT.

BUT WE WANT THE NAYSAYERS TO ALSO COME TO THE MEETING, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE ON HOW TO GO FORWARD.

WE NEED THE CITY COUNCIL TO AGREE TO THIS AND MARRIED TO A GROUP -- TO AGREE TO THIS SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A TRULY GOOD EXPERIENCE.

CARRIE: THIS NEEDS TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND ROOTED IN COMMUNITY I'’M GLAD THAT THE COMMUNITY APPROACH IS HOW WE WILL DO REPARATIONS HERE IN BOSTON BECAUSE AS I'’VE SAID THE PEOPLE CLOSEST TO THE PAIN NEED TO BE CLOSEST TO THE POWER.

CALLIE: SO YOU WON'’T JUST GO TO THEM THEY WILL COME TO EACH OTHER?

CARRIE: ABSOLUTELY.

WE NEED TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY REFLECTIVE OF THE STORIES AND WAYS THAT WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN AMERICA, AND MAKES CITED AND BLESSED AND HONORED TO BE ON THIS TASK FORCE AND I'’M HONORED TO SHARE THE PANEL WITH AMAZING PEOPLE AND THANKFUL THAT MICHELLE WU AND THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DONE THIS COURAGEOUS AND CONTROVERSIAL STEP IN MAKING SURE THAT WE LOOK AT RECONCILIATION AND ADDRESSING THE HARMS FROM SLAVERY.

>> AND YOU WANT THE TASK FORCE NOT TO REINVENT THE WHEEL BUT TO COLLABORATE, PERHAPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

GEORGE: WE NEED TO GIVE IT UP TO STATE REP BILL OWENS FOR HIS HISTORIC WORK ON THAT, WE ARE COMING TOGETHER, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE.

WE ARE JUST TAKING THIS AND MOVING IT ON.

IT DOES IT JUST STARTS HERE.

WERE BRINGING IT TOGETHER.

CALLIE: WILL THERE BE A LARGER HR FOODIE -- HR 40?

TRACI: IT'’S HELPFUL.

CALLIE: STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS, YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK.

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