PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. – A new approach to reparations is coming to Calvert County by offering home and business ownership opportunities to build wealth. The Calvert Concept Charitable Corporation (C4), funded through a grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and other donors, is spearheading this initiative.
“Since its inception, C4 has been dedicated to creating a prototype for addressing the difficult issues related to reparations and reconciliation,” said Nate Pope of Potanpe Communications. “A significant part of our charter is to capture lessons learned in our journey – where we have had successes, and where we could have done better – and to make them available to other communities throughout the country who may be interested in similar programs tailored to their communities.”
The C4 program is currently accepting applications while evaluating options for expanding nationally. The programs will include the development of a $10,000,000 campus where eligible descendants of enslaved people and Native Americans of Calvert County can live for up to three years while qualifying to purchase a home or business. This campus will also be available to others facing social and financial issues such as teachers, hospital workers and public servants. In addition to housing, C4 will offer financial literacy and business courses, along with other skills to provide a path to equity and homeownership.
“We are extremely appreciative of the first round of seed money given to us from the Diocese,” said Kip At Lee, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Since that grant, we have been very fortunate to receive support from many individuals, churches, organizations and businesses. Our goal is very lofty, but I feel that it is a goal we will be able to accomplish.”
Greenbelt, Maryland and Evanston, Illinois have founded reparations commissions to support local reparations measures. California has established a state reparations task force.
Some advice from Nate Pope for other towns who are planning the same: “It has been our experience that the best results come from finding people committed to listening and finding common ground, and including people of widely differing perspectives and backgrounds – even when this results in difficult conversations.”
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The people of Mongolia have not apologized for Genghis Khan. They don’t pay reparations to the countless people he conquered and enslaved. In fact, they have a giant statue of the guy in their capital. Nobody’s trying to tear it down. They feel no guilt or shame about their country’s violent history. Maybe it’s because they know they’re not responsible for what happened long before they were ever born.
My ancestors came over as indentured servants from Ireland. Where’s MY free house?
How are these people going to maintain these houses, pay the taxes on them AFTER they get in?
White Europeans were the FIRST slaves to land on the shores of Maryland. The remains of a 17th Northern European male were discovered in a root cellar in Annapolis years ago , the Leavy neck farm skeleton . Reparations for those folks need to be discussed as well .
A black man named Anthony Johnson was the first person to be recognized as a Slave owner by Virginia courts and later became a tobacco farmer in Maryland.
History has been rewritten and it’s sad as can be .
We now have generations of VICTIMS , shame on us all ..
What a sweet way to say you have no problem with the generational trauma caused by your ancestors in this country. We can just wave a wand and you can decide that it happened a long time ago so the folks who still deal with the fallout should simply get over it.
Tell me, do the students in Mongolia go to schools named for the famous Hun?
The statues that were removed were the losers. Which country has their losers memorialized in bronze? Names their military bases after men who tried to succeed from the Union? Ironic when you consider the oath taken to join the service. Defend the nation against all enemies foreign and domestic.
Hahaha 🤣 generational trauma bahahahahha
My comment was censored. Given that we just shared Memorial Day, it’s a grave disappointment because the comment referenced the 600,000 men who died in the Civil War. Where are their reparations?
I support reparations! My ancestors were directly effected by the enslavement, the redlining, the jim crow laws, in a system that was founded by Europeans who colonized my people. Indentured servitude you say? You simply can’t forget the killing of many people, the discrimination and enslaved americans who were still unaware they had been freed. Slavery was not voluntary! Your ancestors had a contract which had a limit! Your ancestors were free to own property and also had legal rights and protections! Slaves were considered property! The children of indentured servants were not automatically indentured as generations of slaves were. Just to point out a few things.