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Reparations study team seeks public input; advisory-panel applications open May 22
Summary
Project staff for a Washington-state reparative action study urged residents to take a statewide survey, attend June–July listening sessions and apply to an advisory panel (applications open May 22) to inform legislative recommendations.
Project staff leading a statewide study on reparative action for historic slavery and discrimination urged public participation on Tuesday, outlining a new survey, scheduled listening sessions and an advisory-panel application opening May 22.
Ariel Davis, the study’s community engagement specialist, and Marv Jones, the project manager, told attendees on a monthly webinar that the research teams are collecting historical, genealogical and policy-evaluation data to quantify harms and shape evidence-based legislative recommendations for Washington state. "This is your opportunity," Jones said, urging listeners to complete and share the online survey to help define who should be eligible for reparations and what forms reparations might take.
The study team described multiple ways for residents to contribute. Jones said the community reparations survey will ask about eligibility, goals and preferred program designs and asked attendees to share the survey link on the project website. Listening sessions — both virtual and in person — are planned for June and July, and the team invited community organizations to host sessions by filling out an interest form posted on the site. The project will post dates, locations and recordings on reparationswa.com and in its Q&A page.
Jones said two advisory roles will be available for selected panel members: a more time-intensive assignment working directly with the policy and evaluation team and a lighter-touch role on a community insights board. "The members selected to this panel will play a vital role in ensuring that the community's perspective is reflected in this work," Jones said; applications will open May 22, and people who previously submitted interest forms will receive application links by email.
Ariel Davis said staff have been engaging community groups and will follow up directly with people who indicate interest. Davis provided a contact email, ariel.davis@trueclusion.com, and said staff will accept submitted data either through the survey/interest form or via direct email for consideration in the research.
On research staffing, Jones named Thomas Kramer and Marvin Slaughter as analysts currently reviewing accumulated data and said Dr. Ashley Gardner is closely involved in synthesizing findings; he deferred technical questions about the impact of recent changes to the “VRA” acronym to Gardner and to written answers to be posted on the website.
The presenters said unanswered questions from the live session would be answered on reparationswa.com, and a recording of the webinar will be posted. Jones announced the immediate next webinar for the series as June 12 at 12 p.m. Pacific; during the session he also referenced a later December webinar.
The study team encouraged broad participation, saying public input will inform the research and the legislative policy recommendations that follow.
