African Heritage Reparation Assembly

Purpose: The African Heritage Reparation Assembly's (AHRA) mission is to study and develop reparation proposals for People of African Heritage in Amherst to further the goals of the resolution “Affirming the Town of Amherst’s Commitment to End Structural Racism and Achieve Racial Equity for Black Residents” adopted by the Town Council on December 7, 2020.

African Heritage Reparation Assembly Membership

Name Appt Start Appt End
Heather Lord 2021 2023
Yvonne Mendez 2021 2023
Michele Miller 2021 2023
Alexis Reed 2021 2023
Irvin Rhodes 2021 2023
Amilcar Shabazz 2021 2023
Vacancy (1)    

Charge:

The AHRA shall:

  1. Develop and recommend to the Town Council a Municipal Reparations Plan that includes both a reparations fund and a community-wide process of reconciliation and repair for harms against Black people. This plan will include:
    1. A plan for developing ongoing funding streams to repair past harms committed by the Town against Black people.
    2. An allocation plan including eligibility criteria, which will be determined and approved by the broader Amherst Black community through a census and community feedback process.
    3. Additional means of repair for anti-Black structural and communal racism, including public events and activities that prioritize truth telling and reconciliation.
  2. Coordinate with other groups working toward racial equity in Amherst to ensure collaboration.

    3. Engage, as appropriate, community stakeholders such as the BID, Chamber of Commerce, Faith Communities, and other organizations to develop extra-municipal reparations efforts that align with and complement the Town's Municipal Reparations Plan.

Reports:

A proposed Municipal Reparations Plan to the Town Council by October 31, 2021 and a final report at the completion of the Assembly’s work.