TO ONCE AGAIN TACKLE THE THORNY ISSUE OF REPARATIONS.

THIS TIME THROUGH A NEW TASK FORCE LAUNCHED BY MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON JUST IN TIME TO MARK JUNETEENTH.

THE PUSH IS FUNDED BY $500,000 FROM THE CITY'S 2024 BUDGET.

THE FIRST TIME TAXPAYER MONEY WILL BE USED TO CONFRONT THE LEGACY OF SLAVERY AND LEGAL SEGREGATION.

JOHNSON CALLS THE WORK NECESSARY.

HERE'S WHAT HE SAID BEFORE RAISING THE JUNETEENTH FLAG OVER DALY PLAZA.

LIKE MANY CITIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, CHICAGO STILL BEARS THE SCARS OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND INJUSTICES.

THAT HAVE BEEN INFLICTED ON OUR COMMUNITIES.

THAT'S WISE.

BARRETT IS THAT IS NOW THE TIME TO DELIVER GOOD ON REPARATIONS FOR PEOPLE OF CHICAGO, PARTICULARLY BLACK PEOPLE.

THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

W T TW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER SHARON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.

HEATHER, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME CHICAGO OFFICIALS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO TACKLE REPARATIONS.

WHAT HAPPENED?

WELL, BACK IN 2020, LIKE MANY CITIES, CHICAGO TACKLED THE ISSUE OF REPARATIONS IN THE WAKE OF THE POLICE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD.

BUT IT NEVER REALLY GOT OFF THE GROUND AMID IMPLACABLE OPPOSITION FROM THEN MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT, BRANDON JOHNSON HAS PROMISED TO PICK UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF.

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS THE TASK FORCE CHARGED WITH DOING?

SO IT WILL BE JOINTLY LED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EQUITY AND RACIAL JUSTICE IN THE CITY COUNCIL'S BLACK CAUCUS AND THEY WILL BE CHARGED WITH REALLY SORT OF A WIDE RANGING SORT OF TASK.

FIRST, THEY HAVE TO DEFINE SORT OF WHAT THE HARM WAS.

NOW.

BRAND-NEW JOHNSON'S GOT SOME IDEAS ABOUT THAT, BUT THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE ASKED HOW THE CITY CAN ADDRESS THAT.

WHAT STEPS IT CAN TAKE IS IT MONEY ISN'T PROGRAMS OR IS IT AN EDUCATIONAL EFFORT THROUGH THE CITY?

SCHOOLS I THINK ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON THE TABLE SO JOHNSON LAUNCHED A TASK FORCE WITH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT INCLUDED AN APOLOGY, QUOTE, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO FOR THE HISTORICAL WRONGS COMMITTED AGAINST BLACK CHICAGOANS AND THEIR ANCESTORS WHO HAVE CONTINUED TO BEAR IN JUSTICES.

DID HE SAY WHAT THOSE INJUSTICES ARE WILL REALLY THE HEART OF HIS 2023 PLATFORM FOR MAYOR WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT CHICAGO'S BLACK COMMUNITIES HAVE FACED DECADES OF DISINVESTMENT IN.

HE SEES THAT LEGACY.

IT'S NOT ONLY THE REASON WHY THE CITY THE MOST SEGREGATED CITY IN AMERICA STILL TODAY, BUT IT'S ALSO SORT OF IN THE THE LEGACY OF THE SCHOOL CLOSURES BACK ABOUT A DECADE AGO.

IT IS WHY THERE ARE HIGHER RATES OF INCARCERATION FOR BLACK MEN IN CHICAGO.

AND THAT'S WHY BLACK PEOPLE ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE GENERATIONAL WEALTH OR TO EVEN OWN HOMES IN CHICAGO.

SO IT'S THOSE SORT BIG-PICTURE ISSUES THAT HE SEES.

THIS IS A WAY TO START THAT WELL FOR SOMETHING WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT COMING UP IN THE SHOW A SEPARATE COMMISSION CREATED BY STATE LAW IN 2020 IS ALSO FINALLY GETTING UNDERWAY.

WHAT WAS THE AFRICAN DESCENT CITIZENS REPARATIONS COMMISSION?

WHAT'S WOULD BEGIN TO FOCUS SO THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT TASK AND THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SORT OF EDUCATIONAL ISSUES LIKE JUST CHICAGO NEED MORE VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS.

AND THEY ALSO ARE GOING TO LOBBY FOR A LAW THAT WOULD FORCE ILLINOIS COMPANIES TO SORT OF DECLARE WHETHER THEY BENEFITED FROM SLAVERY.

A SIMILAR LAW HAS BEEN ON THE BOOKS IN CHICAGO FOR 25 YEARS HAS YET TO REALLY BEEN ENFORCED.

VERY EAGER TO SEE WHAT COMES OF BOTH OF AGENCIES HAD A SHARON.

THANK YOU SO