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National Resource Center

For State and Local Reparations

The National Resource Center for State and Local Reparations will be a home for the national reparations movement to share best practices, connect to other leaders through resource and referral, and house scholarly, historical, and cultural learning and research, and serve as a hub for providing support and technical assistance to localities implementing reparations and foster collaboration among reparations leaders nationwide. The Resource Center will feature programming such as leadership cohorts, lecture series, retreats, and office hours.

In partnership with community organizations, the National Resource Center will also serve the local community through events like book talks, featured speakers, meeting space for community organizing and joint programming with the Reparations partners. Through these events the Evanston and national reparations community will continue to come together to identify and implement the forms of repair that heal and sustain our communities.

Reparations Library

The Resource Center Library houses a diverse collection of books, journal articles, archives, and essential texts that serve as foundational resources for reparative work. 

Curated in collaboration with Semicolon Books, a Chicago-based, Black-owned bookstore, the collection reflects both historical and contemporary perspectives on reparations. Key resources include harm reports from various localities, practical toolkits, and research reports that document community needs and guide policy implementation. The Library’s curated materials aim to support leaders, scholars, and community members in advancing reparations. 

Through a series of community workshops and dialogues in 2023, FirstRepair, Defining Humanity, and artist Damon Reed gathered input and stories from residents and reparations movement leaders to capture the essence of their experiences, aspirations, and dreams. The session was a transformative, hands-on workshop focused on reparation dialogues, where participants were grouped to actively shape their vision for a resource center. Using tools like scaled models and movable furniture, participants physically modeled their ideas, while innovative dot exercises and inclusive voting ensured every voice contributed to the design.

This approach not only democratized the process but also infused the resource center with the community’s collective spirit. The result is a blueprint for a vibrant hub of learning, innovation, and unity, embodying reparative justice and laying the foundation for its realization.

Thanks To Our Partners

FirstRepair thanks the sponsors, supporters, and partners who make the Resource Center possible:

Funders

NAARC

Evanston Community Foundation

Northwestern University

Wellspring Philanthropic Partners

Partners

Defining Humanity

Damon Reed

Maia Faith

Shorefront

Evanston Public Library

Evanston History Center

SemiColon Books

House of Wattz

 

Project Advisors

Laurice Bell

Jean-Pierre Brutus

Dr. Ron Daniels

Justin Hansford

Kamm Howard

Jumoke Ifetayo

Davidia Ingram

Linda Mann