Research Symposium

BIO

Greetings, I am second-year first generation Criminology student at Florida State University who is passionate about social justice and committed to make a positive impact in my community. My current involvements in campus organizations, such as SISTUHS Inc. and UROP, has further honed my leadership and teamwork skills. I have goals of pursuing a career in criminal defense or non-profit law.

Evanston’s Reparation Program: Local Opinions

Abstract

The topic of reparations has been an ongoing conversation for years but a town in Illinois,
Evanston has taken a step towards that. The city of Evanston offered a reparations housing
program which allowed for African American/Black residents who may have experienced or
been affected by housing discriminations that the city previously had. For the reparations
program to come to fruition it had to go through city council meetings and approval. The
program is also being funded by cannabis sales the city makes. This research aimed to look at
how residents feel about the reparation programs, how it may affect them and their
thoughts/feelings on how it is being funded. The research used participation tools to analyze
interviews, public records, and meetings. In earlier interviews, it suggested that most residents
did not know much about the program, how it was funded or about the reasoning for the
program. However, as it continued, it seemed that some residents benefited from the program,
did not oppose how it was funding, and have experienced different forms of racism in Evanston.
Besides reparations, residents also spoke on the livability of Evanston and the racial disparities in
the city. Future projects would require more investment into research and development in the
programs formation, potential legal issues it may face, how it can expand and other racial disparities present.

Keywords: Reparations, Evanston, Sociology