Aja is joined by Athens City Commissioner and City Councilmember of Athens’ second district, Mariah Parker to discuss reparations and the historic resolution passed in Athen’s city council last week.
For two years, Mariah worked with former residents of historically Black Athens community, Linnentown, to get reparations for the damage and loss caused by the city and University of Georgia in the 1960s. Through the Federal Urban Renewal Program, the city of Athens demolished Linnentown to make way for parking and student housing, effectively destroying the thriving neighborhood and forcing Black families out of their homes. They were able to do this through discriminatory eminent domain laws, controlled fires, and other tactics.
Mariah tells us about what’s next for the resolution and what reparations will look like. We also discuss new GOP bills, HB 286 and HB 531, which are making their way through the state legislature.
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