By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Last week, State Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to hold a special legislative session on reparations after two bills he authored were not brought up for a floor vote in the California Assembly.

One of the bills planned to create a new state agency to manage the distribution of reparations payments for eligible Black Californians. The second bill aimed to restore land or compensation for victims of racially motivated eminent domain.

“Our ancestors have to be greatly disappointed in the fact that we’ve been waiting 160 years plus years for reparations, and it was right here in our hands, and we dropped the ball,” said Bradford.

As a member of the California reparations task force and the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) vice-chair, Bradford requested that Newsom add reparations to an ongoing special session agenda since lawmakers are in the Capitol for the governor’s special session on gas prices and oil supply.

Reparations advocates also have been stepping up calls to recall legislators who they say blocked the bills. The CLBC proposed a total of 14 reparations bills, many of which passed the Legislature and are waiting for a final signature from Gov. Newsom.

Newsom stated that his office worked closely with the Black Caucus on the reparations bills that have advanced so far.

“The vast majority of those that we agreed to and worked collaboratively together with the Black Caucus have ended up on my desk,” said Newsom.

Despite the defeat of two reparations bills, the caucus has worked closely with community-based organizations to address issues affecting Black residents statewide.

This past weekend, the Black Caucus convened with community leaders in Sacramento to hear ideas from policymakers, residents, and grassroots advocates on current and emerging issues in the Black community.

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