Reparations NOW NWA

We are inviting white people and churches to invest in Black-led, Black-serving work in Northwest Arkansas

In 2020, Lowell Taylor met Greg Thompson, who co-wrote Reparations and helped Lowell learn the theory of reparations. In the summer of 2020, George Floyd died and NWA United — a group of churches committed to racial justice — was born. In the fall of 2020, Lowell met Jemar Tisby, who started The Witness Foundation to fund Black leaders and helped Lowell practice reparations. Lowell started Reparations NOW NWA and invited white churches who joined NWA United to give to The Witness Foundation. Some said yes, and $100,000 was invested in two Black leaders in Northwest Arkansas.

In 2022, Lowell, the Fayetteville Public Library, KUAF, and the African and African American Studies Program at the University of Arkansas started The R Word podcast and book discussion series. In the summer of 2022, Thompson, Tisby, and local Black leaders spoke on the podcast. In the fall of 2022, Tisby spoke at the library about How to Fight Racism. In the spring of 2023, Thompson will speak at the library about Reparations. In 2023, Lowell and a group of Black and white leaders are inviting white people and churches to invest in Black-led, Black-serving work in Northwest Arkansas (we will share more soon).