SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — ABC 10News first met Yvette Porter-Moore in June 2022, when she started to trace the lineage of Californians who are descendants of slaves.
"Benjamin Ellis and Zara Humphrey, they were born enslaved," Porter-Moore said.
Now, Porter-Moore is in Sacramento to present her findings to the state.
"Just giving a testimony as to my life and what genealogy will do for those that will be applying for reparations," Porter-Moore said.
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On Thursday, state lawmakers will discuss a reparations plan to give financial compensation to descendants of enslaved Americans. Porter-Moore is one of many Black Californians who could benefit from this.
"The Founding Fathers believed in land to accumulate wealth, and so many of us were not able to do so," Porter-Moore said. "I think it'll give us an opportunity to purchase homes, invest and make our lives even better."
In a 34-page report, a state task force gives a dollar value to the cost of racism. Their estimates show that each eligible individual should receive more than a million dollars.
RELATED: California reparations panel OKs state apology, payments
"I think there's a lot of problems with it," said Bill Wells, the Mayor of El Cajon.
Wells says the state doesn't have the money to spend on this while it's also tackling other issues like housings, education and crime.
"They're bringing in all kinds of new social programs all the time," Wells said. "Homelessness is out of control."
"Even if the state had endless amounts of money, do you think reparations are necessary?" ABC 10News reporter Perla Shaheen asked.
"It's not the role of the government to be picking winners and losers. Some people who have had a tough time all their lives, maybe generationally, will say 'What about me?'"
Lawmakers will discuss the reparations plan at 9 a.m. Thursday. They’ll choose which recommendations to turn into bills, and the governor will have the final say on what becomes law.
They would go into effect in 2024.
