Washtenaw County accepting applications for new reparations council
WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - The Washtenaw County Advisory Council on Reparations is accepting applications to join the council.
Applications will be open through April 7 or until all positions are filled. Members will serve 23-month terms.
Members of the council will represent the following sectors:
- Housing and Real Estate
- Education K-12
- Education Post-Secondary
- Workforce Development
- Economic Development
- Health
- Art
- Civil Rights Law
- Criminal Legal System
- Food Security
- Transit
- Faith-Based Community
- Environmental Justice
Officials say the council aims to "outline the specific ways that County policies and practices have historically and continually harmed the lives of Black people and to develop recommendations for the Board of Commissioners in the form of a Washtenaw Reparations Plan," according to a press release.
The plan will include recommendations to the county Board of Commissioners to address those sectors.
The Board of Commissioners established the council on Feb. 15, 2023. In 2021, the Washtenaw County Racial Equity Office assembled a committee of experts and industry leaders to look into the possibility of economic and social reparations.
Anyone interested in applying can fill out a form on the Board of Commissioners' website and select "Advisory Council on Reparations" in the drop down menu.
