Athens Reparations Action latest news and updates

January 2023

Hello Alys,

Thank you for being a part of the ARA community. We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support, let you know what we’ve been up to, and offer ways you can get more involved in reparations in the Athens community.

Since we launched ARA in August 2022, we have raised about 50k in donations and pledges toward our goal of $110,000 by June 2024. Can you donate today, or make a pledge to donate in 2024? Click on the Donate or Pledge buttons above, or send a check to our address at the end of this newsletter.

Upcoming events

Join our monthly Reparations Conversations at Athentic Brewing Company, on the third Wednesday of every month. We'll be there Jan. 18, Feb. 15, Mar. 15, and April 19 from 6 pm to discuss, debate, and dream together about reparations in Athens. We'll be raffling off a private beer tasting, so be sure to get your name in the hat.

Come to a panel presentation at UGA with Hattie Thomas Whitehead and Dr. Jane McPherson on Tuesday, Jan. 10 "Athens Linnentown Community and Social Work's Role in its Destruction," from 12:20-1:20pm in the UGA School of Social Work Student Lounge (279 Williams Street).

Check out Professor Lynn Sanders-Bustle's art exhibition dedicated to Linnentown, "The Jarring Affects of Participatory Practice," also at the UGA School of Social Work.

What we've been up to...

Linnentown Documentary Screening

We officially launched ARA on August 15 with a screening of Linnentown: Urban Renewal, White Supremacy and the University of Georgia at Athens Ciné (Click here to view video). The event was standing-room only for both the screening and the panel discussion featuring Linnentown first descendants Hattie Thomas Whitehead, Christine Davis, filmmaker Alex Benoit, and Commissioner Russell Edwards. Check out coverage in Flagpole, Athens Banner Herald and Clarke Central High School’s Odyssey News Magazine.

Relationships with Linnentown

We have been privileged to visit first descendants in their homes, share meals with them, learn more about Linnentown and the experience of displacement under Urban Renewal, and explain our mission and vision. We will continue to center these relationships in all that we do.

With great respect and reverence, we mourn the passing of Nancy Williams on October 11, 2022, at 102 years old. Nancy was the oldest living Linnentown homeowner.

Nancy Williams at 102 with devoted nieces Linda Jacks and Portia Williams.

Read More about Linnentown

ARA in the community

On October 22, ARA members participated in the Linnentown Mosaic project, a temporary art installation at Memorial Plaza by students and faculty of UGA's Lamar Dodd School of Art.

We have been meeting with schools and other groups in Athens to spread the word about our work and raise money. In the past three months, we have spoken to 50 Clarke Central HS students about reparations, and visited Joy Village, Athens’ new private, K-8 school centering Black Joy.

Get involved!

We need volunteers to help with:

- Organizing more documentary screenings around town. Do you have a group at your church, school, business, or other organization that would be interested? Reach out and let us know.

- Speaking to historically white communities of faith about the biblical call to repair harm through reparations. Do you have a faith community that aligns with our vision? We'd love to meet y'all.

- Mobilizing pledges and donations. Can you talk to 5-10 friends or colleagues who might be able to donate now, or pledge to donate by June 2024?

Athens Reparations Action

243 Sunset Drive

Athens GA 30606

(202) 262 2833

athensreparationsaction@gmail.com

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