Chicago began discussion about reparations yesterday.

N'COBRA's Kamm Howard Evanston's 5th ward Alderman Robin Rue Simmons addressed City Council.

Here are excerpts from a report by Block Club Chicago.

“At the first meeting of a new City Council committee to discuss reparations for the Chicago descendants of enslaved people, aldermen were advised they have ‘a lifetime of work ahead’ of them.

Although Thursday’s meeting of the Subcommittee on Reparations marked a beginning, it was years in the making.

The subcommittee was created last summer after the Health and Human Relations Committee initially greenlit the formation of a reparations commission, only to subsequently meet again and approve an amendment, pushed for by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, that voided the commission and created a subcommittee chaired by freshman South Side Ald. Stephanie Coleman (16th) instead.

On Thursday, the committee heard testimony from Kamm Howard, co-chair of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations, and Ald. Robin Simons, who represents suburban Evanston’s 5th Ward. Simons led an effort to create a groundbreaking reparations program in Evanston that is backed by $10 million in future tax revenue from cannabis sales.”

Read more from Block Club Chicago.