Reparations (website)

Website devoted to cause of compensation for the descendants of the Transatlantic Slave Trade

Reparations

Type of site

| Compensation for descendants of the Atlantic Slave Trade

|

Available in| English
Created by| Natasha Marin
URL| diyreparations.me
Launched| 2016
Current status| inactive

Reparations is an American website which was launched by Seattle-based artist Natasha Marin in order to allow people with privilege to leverage what they can in order to help people of color.[1][2] Marin has stated that the website is not about reparations for slavery, which Black Lives Matter has called for as part of its platform; Marin's website, which has failed, is an avenue for people to respond to modern racial turmoil in the United States.[3]

## History

[edit]

In July 2016, Seattle-based artist Natasha Marin launched a social experiment as a Facebook event page. Three days later, the project went viral,[4] gaining international coverage in the Washington Post,[5] LA Times and The Guardian,[6] and expanded to include a website.[7] Framed as a conceptual art project, it was a forum for People of Color to post immaterial or material requests that would improve their lives, and for people of privilege and people who identify as White to offer them contributions and services.[8][9] A social experiment that was never about “white guilt,” Reparations is a space where Americans, regardless of race, can take ownership of their shared history (NBC News).[10] The project engaged over a quarter of a million people worldwide, some of whom made death threats to Marin.[5] The Reparations project continues to live on through a private Facebook group, “Reparations: Requests and Offerings,” focusing on addressing present-day income inequality, community building, community care, and bringing about much needed healing and repair.

## See also

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* Reparations (transitional justice)
* Restitution
* Reparation (legal)
* Reparations for slavery debate in the United States

## References

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1. ^ Ng, David (August 4, 2016). "Artist launches Reparations website and 'social experiment' on white privilege". Los Angeles Times.
2. ^ Kenney, Tanasia (August 3, 2016). "Black Woman Launches 'Reparations' Site to Allow White People to Atone for Current-Day Racism, Met with Onslaught of Racist Reactions". Atlanta Black Star. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
3. ^ Radio, Southern California Public (2016-08-03). "On 'Reparations' site, whites can offer help to people of color". Southern California Public Radio. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
4. ^ Bernard, Sara (July 27, 2016). "Reparations Go Viral in Seattle". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
5. ^ a b Schmelzer, Elise (August 2, 2016). "New website allows white people to offer reparations directly to people of color". Washington Post. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
6. ^ Woolf, Nicky (August 4, 2016). "Reparations site asks people to 'offset your privilege' with acts of kindness". The Guardian. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
7. ^ "Reparations". Retrieved November 21, 2020.
8. ^ Weisenstein, Kara (April 26, 2017). "In Seattle, Decolonization Is a Full-Time Gig". Vice. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
9. ^ Wang, Deborah (July 26, 2016). "Seattle's 'Reparations' experiment is working". KUOW. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
10. ^ Bailey, Chelsea (November 12, 2016). "After Trump Win, Many Seek Comfort Through 'Reparations' Website". NBC News. Retrieved November 21, 2020.

## External links

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* Official website
* Current Facebook Reparations group
* 2016 Facebook event page