CA REPARATIONS TASK FORCE

Press Release: December 2022

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Los Angeles Area Bar Associations Support Reparations for African Americans


A coalition of bar associations led by the Japanese American Bar Association (JABA) and the John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles, Inc. (Langston)  announced their support for the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation  Proposals for African Americans.


The Task Force issued its interim report in June 2022, which examines the ongoing and  compounding harms suffered by African Americans because of slavery and its various  permutations of racial oppression and exclusion.


In addition to JABA and Langston, the bar associations supporting the Task Force 

include the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Mexican American Bar 

Association, Thai American Bar Association, Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers 

Alliance, Philippine American Bar Association, Southern California Chinese Lawyers 

Association, Korean American Bar Association of Southern California, Asian Pacific 

American Bar Association of Los Angeles County, and the South Asian Bar Association 

of Southern California.

 

“The Task Force’s Interim Report confronts the horrific and systemic injustice against 

African Americans today and for the past four centuries,” said Staci Tomita, President of 

the Japanese American Bar Association. “From our own reparations experience, 

Japanese Americans know that we create opportunities for our country to advance 

when it acknowledges its wrongs, repairs them, and becomes more inclusive.”


“We believe the work of the Task Force will lead to innovative solutions based upon a 

constructive dialogue,” said Daniel Prince, President of the John M. Langston Bar 

Association of Los Angeles. “We can look to the example of the effort led by two of our 

Langston lifetime members to return Bruce’s Beach to descendants of the Bruce family 

nearly a century after it was seized through eminent domain by the City of Manhattan 

Beach.”


The Interim Report identifies some preliminary recommendations aimed at, for example, 

addressing the racial wealth gap and disparities in the legal system. However, the Final 

Report, which is expected in July 2023, will include the Task Force’s final 

recommendations based upon further hearings, community engagement, and 

consultations with experts.


Learn more about the task force interim report at 

https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/ab3121-reparations-interim-report-2022.pdf.


Founded in the 1920s as the Blackstone Law Club, Langston seeks to empower 

leadership, advance the professional development of its membership, and to promote 

the administration of justice in the African American community and the community at 

large. https://www.langstonbar.org


JABA was founded in 1977 in Los Angeles, California. Over the years, JABA has 

provided a special forum for members of the legal profession with interests and ties to 

the Japanese American community to discuss issues, network, and serve our 

community. https://www.jabaonline.org

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 John M. Langston Bar Association

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