Post-Event PRESS RELEASE: THE LEGACY OF DURBAN LIVES IN NYC & AROUND U.S. – THE DEMAND FOR REPARATIONS IS STRONG!

New York, NY – Hundreds of people, from grade school children to senior citizens, attended the
Reparations Rally in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, on Saturday, August 29,
2026, to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations World Conference Against Racism
that was held in Durban, South Africa.

“Reparations Now!” could be heard all Saturday afternoon. This was also the rallying cry 25 years ago of
the “Durban 400,” whose work of community organizing, both locally and internationally, was successful
in achieving the historic declaration at the U.N. World Conference Against Racism. The Durban 400 was
a delegation of 400 grassroots Black activists, organized primarily by the December 12th Movement
and the National Black United Front (NBUF), who participated in the World Conference and helped
establish that the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and Slavery constituted crimes against humanity for which
reparations are owed to the descendants of the victims.

New York City Public Advocate, Jumaane Williams said,“Some people act like we trying to ask for
something…we’re just trying to get what we are owned. What everybody is owed – that’s it. He added,
“we should all be united that reparations are owed and that it should be paid. Period! I’m honored to be
here as the highest ranking Black elected official in the city.”

“If you study your history, you will know that in 1862 in Washington, DC they passed legislation to give
reparations to the white slave owners for freeing their slaves. So I’m thinking that you all were the first to
get reparations…so a few decades after that we saw some Italian Americans get reparations in
response some racialized lynchings. After that we saw Japanese Americans were able to get
reparations as well. So it’s not whether or not it’s controversial or whether or not it sets a bad precedent
– it’s a question of when it is our turn because they stole us, they sold us and now they owe us.” said
New York State Senator, Jabari Brisport.

The 25th anniversary celebration of the Durban Declaration happened in New York and several other
states/cities, and internationally. National reparations rallies were held in Kansas City, MO, Detroit, MI,
Chicago, IL, Maryland/Washington DC, Virginia, Greenville, SC, St. Louis, MO and overseas in London.
In collaboration with over 100 organizations, the December 12th Movement spearheaded organizing
these reparations rallies on August 29, 2026. Each location’s program featured an inspiring collection of
live performances, historians, elected officials and local leaders who expressed the magnitude of the
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and how these crimes against humanity continue to impact Black
communities.

Rally organizers have shared that doing the work of increasing community awareness about reparations
costs money. So everyone is asked to kindly make a donation to support this ongoing effort. Donations
can be made digitally by VENMO: @Stable456 Code Foundation and/or by CASH APP: $RepairD12.
Reverend Dr. Andrew J. Wilkes, from the Double Love Experience Church, focused his passion and
said, “Now is the time to build the reparations case and to build our base. Now is the time since we have
a self-declared socialist who is the mayor of this city and if we can’t push a socialist mayor to reparations
then we are missing the moment.”

Other presenters at the NYC rally included Zayid Muhammad (Malcolm X Commemoration Committee),
Maxine Flowers (National Black United Front), Yaa Asantewaa Nzingha (Northeast Political Prisoners
Coalition), Aidaruus Shirwa (The Palaver Collective), Tsuru for Solidarity, Dr. Rosemary Mealy, and
Chantelle Williams (Assistant Director of the NYCLU Racial Justice Center). Also reflecting the key roles
that faith leaders and civil rights advocates traditionally play, Reverend Ibrahim Ayu (NAACP Brooklyn
Chapter’s Social Justice Committee), and Reverend Dr. Barbara Austin-Lucas (Agape World Wide
Ministries Church) shared moving words of support.

Demonstrating that culture is indeed a weapon in our fight for social justice and reparations were the
drumming collective Ballet Fe Sa, the cultural creative collective Black Wata, and The Brownsville
Excellence Marching Band, organized by Nicole Williams, of Victory Music and Dance Company.

Meanwhile, at the Washington DC/Maryland/VA (DMV) reparations rally, held at the Thurgood Marshall
Center for Service and Heritage, Dr. Raymond Winbush described the U.N. World Conference Against
Racism, “as probably one of the most important meetings since the Pan African congresses, that took
place in the 1940s.”

Charles Brooks, DMV event organizer, explains, “One of the reasons why it was such a historic
conference was that it produced a historic document, the DDPA, and because the conference was a
clear example of Pan African solidarity on this question of reparations.” Charles added, “ The myths
around Black people working together were dispelled. It was a time that the international community
agreed that they stole us, they sold us, and they owe us.”

Omowale Clay, Chair of the December 12th Movement said, “Reparations will be won through
organizing our communities and mobilizing the people in the streets – we continue to suffer the most
from racism and a capitalist economy in crisis.” Mr. Clay in closing stated, “Reparations now starts with
the attitude of people in our community demanding justice and holding the criminals accountable. They
stole us, they sold us, they owe us!”