WHY WE CAN’T WAIT REPARATIONS NETWORK

Mission, Vision, Values

Mission

The Why We Can't Wait Reparations Network is a Black-led, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary network and coordinating body that mobilizes descendant communities, organizations, advocates, and allies to secure holistic and comprehensive reparations for the lasting legacies of enslavement, settler colonialism, exploitation, apartheid, and anti-Black racism. We are the largest network organizing for reparations at the federal level, while also advancing reparations efforts at the global, state, local, institutional, and communal levels. Through community organizing, research, policy design and advocacy, partnership building, skill sharing, political education, narrative organizing, humanized storytelling, and cultural strategy, we design and champion transformative reparations policies and conditions.

Vision

A present and future where comprehensive reparations have been achieved, where the process of repair is routine and perpetual until all harm from enslavement, settler colonialism, exploitation, apartheid, and anti-Black racism is eradicated, undone, and unable to repeat itself. A world where Black Humanity and Black Power are fully realized, without threat, and freedom is free.

Core Values and Commitments

We are guided and grounded by:

Ancestral Connection and Legacy

We honor and uplift legacy efforts to secure reparations, maintaining connection to those who came before us in this struggle.

Black Humanity and Black Power

We believe in the full humanity of Black people and work toward Black self-determination, autonomy, and self-expression.

Holistic Reparations

We believe in implementing comprehensive reparations at all levels that address the full scope of historical and ongoing harm.

Both/And Transformation

We believe in the necessity of both self-transformation and systemic transformation, understanding that how we do the work matters as much as what we achieve.

Lived Experience as Expertise

We believe personal, lived experience is the best expertise and prioritize the leadership, voices, and experiences of Black communities most affected by historical and ongoing harms.

Principled Practice

We value radical truth-telling, wellbeing, integrity, dignity, sharing, transparency, solidarity, authenticity, accessibility, accountability, malleability, security, self-determination, innovation, creative expression, continued learning and unlearning, collective decision-making, and principled collaboration.

Impact Over Self-Promotion

We value altruism and substantive impact over self-gain, visibility, and exploitation.

Inclusivity Over Hierarchy

We maintain an egalitarian structure with room for everyone committed to our shared mission.

Modeling Reparative Conditions

We commit to modeling and practicing reparative conditions to lead to reparative outcomes.

For more information, please reach out to info@reparationscantwait.org.

Why We Can't Wait Reparations Network

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Team Members