TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — A unanimous decision from Tampa City Council nearly 4 years in the making: forming a Racial Reconciliation Committee.
At their April 18th meeting, the Tampa City Council finally made the move.
Ideas for the committee first began in September 2020, when the council passed a resolution apologizing for race-based laws.
"It was a relief, but it was a step towards the right direction," said Hillsborough County NAACP Chapter President Yvette Lewis.
Council member Luis Viera made the move to bring the committee idea to a vote.
"It's an important tool to make sure that elected officials hear from communities that are often marginalized and ignored. We heard from many people in the community who wanted this committee. So I took it upon myself to work in talking with the community, and seeing how we can make this committee a reality," said Council member Viera.
The committee aims to address a few key factors:
- Affordable and attainable housing
- Our youth and opportunity for youth
- Returning citizens
- Restoration of rights
- Entrepreneurship and economic opportunity (including contracting) for marginalized areas
- And ignored history (and this can include historical markers, cemeteries, etc.)
"If you look at what this committee is aiming to do in the topics, it's dealing with affordable housing, economic development, returning citizens, our youth, ignored history, these are pivotal topics. The real measure is going to be not in terms of what the committee is going to do. But what am I going to do? What are my colleagues and city council going to do? What's the mayor gonna do? When the recommendations come to us?" Viera said.
The committee will be made up of 13 members. Appointments will come from six local organizations: The Tampa Bay History Center, The Hillsborough County Chapter of the NAACP, Abe Brown Ministries, Florida Rising, the Urban League of Hillsborough County, and the Tampa Bay Coalition of Clergy.
The other appointments will come from council members.
"We are here and we're not going anywhere. We deserve the same opportunity that everyone else has. African Americans help help build this city. Brick by Brick. We have helped economically made a strong impact in the city. We deserve this and then some," said Lewis.
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