Albany, NY – In response to the first official meeting for the New York Community Commission on Reparation Remedies, Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, Chair of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, released the following statement:

“New York has officially taken the first steps necessary in addressing how the legacy of slavery has led to the continued discrimination & disenfranchisement of Black communities, both racially and economically. The input from this commission for remedying the systemically unjust treatment of Black communities will prove paramount as we continue creating legislation that will empower these marginalized New Yorkers.I am proud to have stood alongside the Governor and Senator James Sander while officially swearing in the nine New York experts who will take on this incredibly difficult task. We stand on the shoulders of great leaders like Queen Mother Audrey Moore and others who led the way on reparations as the commission begins to bear this torch moving forward.”