THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

The Truth and Reconciliation Committee is extraordinarily grateful to the people who allowed us to interview them. These community members courageously shared their stories, revisited often painful experiences, and offered a hopeful vision for how Williamsburg can confront the corrosive legacy of racism, remedy harms, and build a better community for all. They were our educators, and our recommendations flow from their lived experiences.

The Committee's recommendations are an initial effort to begin healing the racial divide in our community. The pervasiveness of racial harm and the time constraints of the Committee resulted in a report that is wide-ranging but not comprehensive. Many extremely important concerns remain to be addressed, including law enforcement, the justice system, food and housing insecurity, and the need for a living wage. This report recommends concrete actions as first steps toward racial healing and justice, and it anticipates sustained investment by the City leaders and residents in confronting the legacy of racism.