Por Renan Filho · 2026-09-28**Lead**
A prominent reparations activist in New York has made clear that they do not expect to receive any compensation from state or city officials, as the much‑touted reparations process continues to languish years after it was first announced. The activist’s remarks, delivered in recent public forums and interviews, reflect a growing sense of disillusionment among advocates who once hoped that New York would set a national example for racial justice reparations.
**Context**
New York became the second state in the nation to establish a formal reparations commission when Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation in 2023. The New York State Community Commission on Reparations and Remedies was tasked with studying the historical and ongoing harms of slavery and systemic racism, and with proposing concrete recommendations for redress. The commission held its first public hearings in early 2024 and was originally expected to deliver a preliminary report within 18 months. However, internal disagreements, shifting political priorities, and a lack of dedicated funding have repeatedly pushed back deadlines. By late 2026, the commission has yet to release any formal recommendations, and its public meetings have become increasingly sporadic.
At the city level, New York City also launched its own reparations task force in 2024, but that body has faced similar hurdles. City Council members have struggled to agree on the scope of the task force’s mandate, and mayoral support has waxed and waned. The activist, who has been involved in the movement for more than a decade, noted that the repeated delays have eroded trust among communities that were already skeptical of government promises. “We’ve seen this pattern before – study after study, commission after commission, and nothing changes,” the activist said in a widely circulated statement, though they declined to name specific officials. The sentiment echoes that of many grassroots organizers who argue that the process has become a bureaucratic exercise rather than a genuine effort to deliver justice.
**Análise**
The activist’s pessimism is not isolated. Across the country, reparations efforts at the state and local levels have struggled to translate study into action. California’s reparations task force, which completed its work in 2023, produced a detailed report but has seen only limited legislative follow‑through. In New York, the political calculus is complicated by a divided legislature and a governor facing reelection pressures. The activist pointed out that even if the commission eventually issues recommendations, the likelihood of securing the billions of dollars needed for direct payments, land grants, or educational scholarships remains extremely low. Instead, symbolic measures – such as apologies or museum exhibits – are seen as more politically palatable, but they fall far short of what activists demand.
Moreover, the delay has allowed opponents of reparations to frame the issue as a stalled, expensive experiment. Conservative media outlets have seized on the lack of progress to argue that reparations are unworkable, while some moderate Democrats have quietly distanced themselves from the topic. The activist warned that without a clear timeline and enforceable commitments, the entire reparations movement in New York could lose momentum. “Every year that passes without action makes it easier for politicians to kick the can down the road,” they said. The sentiment underscores a broader tension: while public support for reparations has grown in principle, translating that support into concrete policy remains an uphill battle.
**Fontes**
This article is based on public statements made by the activist during community forums and interviews with local media outlets, as well as reporting from The New York Times, The Associated Press, and the Gothamist. Details about the New York State Community Commission on Reparations and Remedies and the New York City reparations task force were drawn from official government records and press releases issued by the offices of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York City Council.