Gov. Gavin Newsom advanced California’s reparations efforts by signing five bills from the Legislative Black Caucus’ Road to Repair 2025 package into law, with additional measures to be revisited next legislative cycle.

Key among them is SB 518 (Weber‑Pierson), which creates the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery and lays the foundation needed to move reparations from theory to reality. Too many news outlets have framed this as a loss, but the outcome should be seen in the context of many wins already achieved in California — another step forward in this journey.

Cities and states across the nation are taking inspiration from California, the first state to establish a Reparations Task Force to address the legacy of slavery and its enduring consequences. While progress may see

See Full Page