This year's Urban Summit of Kansas City poses the question "Is equity enough?"
To answer that Ajuma Webster, who will speak at the summit, said we need to look at the public and private policies that contributed to the economic gap so that African Americans only own 2% of the wealth in this country.
Without addressing the impediments that keep the Black population from the opportunities given to white community members Webster observed, "there's no possibility that we can catch up."
It would take 228 years for African Americans to accumulate wealth equal to that of their white counterparts today, according to Gwendolyn Grant, CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City.
Grant said there will be "recommendations relative to reparations," introduced at this year's summit.
Many of those opposed to reparations, according to Webster, are the people who benefited from government policies putting them at an economic advantage.
The government created policies that developed the white middle class but "has put shackles on the development of the African American community," said Webster.
"We need to invest in really giving people more than just equal access," Grant said. "You got to build and pay the past debt."
Urban Summit Annual Conference, 6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 at Penn Valley Community College, 3201 Southwest Trafficway, Kansas City Missouri, 64111. Registration is needed.
- Ajamu K. Webster, co-founder, DuBois Consultants
- Gwendolyn Grant, CEO, Urban League of Greater Kansas
