A RepGen core value is that we co-learn and co-create together. In that spirit, we expanded our Evaluation Team in March. We also invited all who receive this Newsletter to complete our survey about their 2023 reparations-related engagement.
We deeply appreciate the 64 survey respondents and twelve interviewees who took time to share their unique experiences and insights. Your ideas and feedback are heard! It’s helping us better understand the impacts of our Community Engagement & Activation model so we can improve going forward. We collected a lot of rich content to consider, but there are two early findings we’d like to lift up now. An overwhelming 75% of respondents in our sample:
- Were active in a variety of reparations-related activities and would like to improve their skills, confidence, and impact in doing them
- Say being involved in reparations-related activities yielded positive shifts in their quality of life intellectually, emotionally and civically/politically.
One interviewee expressed a common sentiment this way: “If I don’t do or act on what I believe in I don’t feel good about myself. I feel like it’s really important to stand up for what you believe in and for me it affects my emotional state. I feel good about myself that I take action rather than just complaining and giving up.”
We agree that taking action, especially as part of a community effort, is a great way to feel a sense of control and optimism. It is important to remember that work involving racial justice is often difficult, but we are relieved to hear that despite facing some obstacles, many in our network find that learning and talking with others is rewarding and impactful. RepGen will continue to seek your input on how we can make reparations in action a positive experience for all.