National Black Cultural Information Trust’s founder, Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor, was recently featured on the Higher Learning Podcast starring Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay. Higher Learning dissects the biggest topics in Black culture, politics, and sports. It was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Podcast (Society & Culture) in February 2025. J.A.M. Aiwuyor is featured on Higher Learning’s May 23, 2025, episode discussing progress in the reparations movement and Governor Wes Moore’s decision to veto the SB587-Maryland Reparations Commission bill.
Aiwuyor explains that Governor Moore’s decision to veto Maryland’s Reparations Bill is flawed and allows the state to evade accountability. She also explains the purpose of reparations studies, task forces, and commissions. Additionally, Aiwuyor provides an overview of recent reparations wins, explaining that the fight for reparations isn’t easy or quick, but it is possible and is already happening.
Governor Moore’s recent veto of the Maryland Reparations Bill sparked backlash across the nation but also confusion. In Gov. Moore’s letter explaining his veto, he stated that there were already “several commissions and study groups to examine the legacy of slavery in our state.” He then said, “I strongly believe now is not the time for another study. Now is the time for continued action that delivers results for the people we serve.”
Van Lathan asked J.A.M. Aiwuyor about this specific language from the Governor. In response, Aiwuyor explained that reparations commissions in the form of “studies” help to hold the government legally accountable.
She stated, “When people hear ‘study,’ I think there’s this connotation that we’re going to pick up some old books on slavery and read it. If I were to rename what this process is, I would call it a Reparations Accountability Commission because that’s what it actually is. When you have commissions like the one that passes the Maryland General Assembly… this is an opportunity for us to hold our local government accountable for the harms it has contributed to over the last few centuries. There are five international standards of repair: compensation, satisfaction, guarantees of non-repetition, rehabilitation, and restitution, which are established through a process. First of all, look at slavery as a crime against humanity. What happens when a crime takes place? There’s a trial. That’s kind of what the commission is.
The commission, or whatever it is called in various local jurisdictions, includes studies and research reports directly into the state’s involvement, including chattel slavery, Jim Crow, redlining, and lynchings – specific to attaching that with a form of repair or compensation. Another part of the process is witness statements, the public participating in hearings, including the community, while also holding the government accountable. When the Governor vetoes the bill–we lose that accountability on the part of the government.”
Listen to the full interview on The Ringer, Spotify, YouTube, iHeart, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast platforms.
