South Bend’s New Reparatory Justice Commission holds first meeting ever

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - After months, the South Bend Reparatory Justice Commission that was appointed by the South Bend Common Council gathered for their first meeting ever to discuss pathways to equity for South Bend’s Black community.

The old Natatorium Building where the meeting took place was actually once a segregated indoor swimming pool.

Tonight, the Commission worked on finding focus and creating plans on how to proceed.

"To have a reparations or reparatory justice committee in every city and its important here in south bend,” said Dr. Darryl Heller, IUSB’s Director of Civil Rights Heritage Center, who was appointed chairman for South Bend’s new board back in February.

He said the meeting was a long time coming, but there is still a way to go.

"Reformations to me is a process, it’s not a payment or just a compensation,” he added.

The board is made up of local leaders with different backgrounds and expertise.

They started off by establishing what reformation means to them and how they plan to use research, public input, and what has worked for other cities to accomplish their goals going forward.

"Ultimately what we have been tasked is to put together a set of recommendations for the common council to act on in terms of providing reparations for harms that have been done to African Americans historically as well as in our present day,” said Heller.

The group hopes to use their research to inform the Common Council with a set of recommendations focused on healthcare, housing, education, and other areas they feel the black community in South Bend has disproportionately lacked opportunities.

"We have to look to the future, so those harms aren’t continued on to our children's children, so that we actually have equitable justice for everyone. It's not just for black people, because as part of this community, the healing and restoration is a community wide necessity,” said Heller.

The group’s meetings will be open to the public and likely alternate days in hopes more people will turn out. The next one will be Saturday, October 28th at 10am.