KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Surrounding a podium decorated with black, red and green, leaders in Knoxville's Black community gathered to discuss disparity issues they faced.
They gathered in the Beck Cultural Exchange Center for another meeting of the African American Equity Restoration Task Force. The group studies, reviews and identifies solutions to disparity-related issues in Knoxville, and to prevent further disenfranchisement in the Black community.
They work with agencies around the city and develop policy proposals, programs and recommendations to help the Black community establish generational wealth — one of the most significant drivers of disparity, according to experts.
They also work with the Community Empowerment Department to find solutions. That department acts as a liaison between community organizations and city leaders.
The task force is comprised of business, community, financial, education, faith, healthcare, youth and city leaders. Knoxville's administration also said it would commit $100 million over a 10-year period to support the group. Most of the money would come from local, private, state and federal grants.
In December, the Knoxville City Council unanimously passed a resolution that apologized for past actions taken by the city that blocked Black families from creating generational wealth. That set of policies, known as Urban Renewal, demolished buildings and homes and changed the shape of the city.
It was requested by Vice Mayor Gwen McKenzie, and specifically apologizes for Urban Renewal projects between 1959-1974 that displaced more than 2,500 families, as well as Black-owned businesses.
As a result, families declined further into poverty and were moved into new housing projects which left them isolated in segregated areas.
The task force meets monthly, and members serve a 3-year term, limited to two consecutive terms. The group plans to gather community input in February.