I am a descendant of slaves, and like many other African Americans in Elmira, New York, the injustices of slavery continue to affect our lives today. We bear the weight of a past that has given us nothing more than a legacy of hardships and struggles. Despite the abolition of slavery over 150 years ago, African Americans continue to face systemic disadvantages deeply rooted in our country's history. We ask for redress - in the form of reparations. 

According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average wealth for white families is seven times higher than average wealth for black families. Moreover, more than one in four black households have zero or negative net worth, compared to less than one in ten white families without wealth (Economic Policy Institute, 2017). These statistics are a testament that the repercussions of slavery and racial discrimination are still present in our society today. The injustices against African Americans did not end with slavery; from Jim Crow laws to mass incarceration, systemic racism continues to plague our communities.

The time is now for the Government to acknowledge this lasting damage and take reparative action to address racial gaps in wealth, education, health, and opportunities. We rise as descendants of slaves in Elmira, NY and call for governmental reparations, in various forms, for descendants of slaves who continue to live with the legacy of inequality.

Stand with me. Stand with us. Sign this petition, demanding reparations as a long overdue debt owed to the African American community, and a critical step towards acknowledging, apologizing for, and repairing the harms inflicted by slavery and its aftermath.