Thank you to Karen for having me on the show.
Highlights
3:37-4:18: I have a concern about using the reparations term because obviously African Americans have talked about having reparations forever that have not happened. So I'm concerned if we use the term and we roll out with this first plan that is housing, what does that do for the other movements that are happening locally? I don't want folks in Alabama to be told 'hey, the standard is a housing program for 16 folks.' I don't want to set a bar that is so low that it's harmful to other Black folks...
5:02-5:20: I get concerned that the press that has gone out has left people thinking that we have more money than we have and that we're helping more people than we're able to. Is that helping to repair or is that causing more harm?
6:45-6:47: "Lack of trust, that is at the core" - Karen Hunter
8:16-9:10: We already have some folks who have come out and said they don't think this is reparations. They have concerns about who is gonna be the first 16. They say that other municipalities have housing/home ownership programs such as ours...
"So why call it that, right? Why call it that?" - Karen Hunter
So you know, folks have said, which I agree, 'just give folks they cash.' We, as a government, I don't have a place telling you how to use your cash. I understand the idea that my peer has in terms that this can build generational wealth that Black folks haven't had. But also, you can build generational wealth by paying for your child to go to school or starting a trust for your family.
"Or invest it." - Karen Hunter
Who am I to say that you have to buy a home? Because the housing market is also super volatile... And... you have to have good credit. You know, a multitude of things that Black folks might not have...
10:14-10:35: The 22nd is the vote (of March 2021). I would love for us to, on the 22nd, talk about it as we usually do and analyze things and have public comment and then bring it back for us later... but as it sounds to be going, we're gonna have it on the 22nd and make a final determination in one night, which in my opinion is not good government.
11:03-11:30: That's another thing I think citizens are having some frustrations with. This is going to be our last vote before we have an election and several people are leaving. A few have lost their race already, some are not returning. So folks feel like, 'why don't we wait for a new council to come in here and hash this out?'
"What's the rush? I mean it's a PR thing; y'all are getting a lot of press." - Karen Hunter
But, we don't work for the PR, we work for the people.
11:40-12:05: "...No matter what happens, the idea of giving people something for harm, I think should be the American way moving forward. Making things right." - Karen Hunter
And it needs to be substantial and it needs to be meaningful. We need to trust the folks we also have harmed to figure out what's best for them.
"I think that, yeah. Let's not be paternalistic. We're not their parents." - Karen Hunter