DETROIT – Two members of the less-than-a-year-old Detroit Reparations Task Force have resigned.
Executive committee co-chair Lauren Hood and general member Maurice Weeks informed the task force of their decision at a public meeting over the weekend.
In 2021, Detroit voters approved the ballot initiative to create the reparations task force.
Last February, Hood celebrated the city council’s appointment of the members of the task force.
“For some folks to say it will never happen, just to get to this moment was somebody’s wildest dreams,” she said.
Members had their first meeting in April.
The 13-member board is now down by three members with the passing of Reverend Dr. JoAnn Watson last July.
Members are responsible for developing recommendations to address historical discrimination against Black Detroiters.
Weeks declined to comment on his resignation.
Local 4 has been unable to reach Hood.
Reparations Task Force executive committee co-chair Keith Williams thanked them for their ideas and contributions.
“I have every faith that we will remain focused on the sacred mission to deliver justice and relief to the tens of thousands of Black people who remain generationally impacted by the legacy of redlining, urban renewal, mass incarceration and other discriminatory government programs that disrupted our families and imposed significant barriers to economic growth. Turnovers and transitions are a time for us to double down on our commitments and avoid distractions,” Williams said in a statement.
Council president Mary Sheffield said the task force was designed to be community-led and driven.
“City Council has done our part by appointing members in a timely fashion and by ensuring funding was secured and appropriated to help facilitate the Taskforce’s work. Anytime you assemble a 13-member body, all with different opinions on how to tackle a very complex subject such as reparations, it will take time to get everyone rowing in the same direction. With that said, City Council continues to be available for any assistance or guidance the Reparations Taskforce seeks,” she said in a statement.
Sheffield said she hopes to fill the vacancies soon.
The task force’s next quarterly meeting will be next year.