AMHERST — Amherst residents’ attitudes about race and reparations are being collected through an anonymous survey, the first time the African Heritage Reparation Assembly is aiming to get input from a large segment of the community in advance of making specific recommendations for how past racial harms should be healed by the town.

The survey, which went live this month, will be one of the final elements for the panel to put together its advice for what is expected to be $2 million collected over 10 years for reparations initiatives should be spent.

The assembly, in coordination with the UMass Amherst Donahue Institute, is using the confidential and voluntary survey, which takes less than 10 minutes to complete, to meet its mission to study and develop reparation proposals for people of African heritage in Amherst, and to further the goals of the 2020 resolution “Affirming the Town of Amherst’s Commitment to End Structural Racism and Achieve Racial Equity for Black Residents.”

A report is due to the Town Council by the end of June, unless an extension is needed, said District 1 Councilor Michele Miller, who co-chairs the assembly.

Since adopting its resolution, the Town Council committed the money as certified free cash obtained through cannabis tax revenue.

Among the basic questions all respondents will answer include whether the person lives in Amherst, identifies as Black and/of African heritage and identifies as someone descended from enslaved people in the United States, as well as how long they have lived in town, how many years their family has called Amherst home and what their housing situation is.

Then, they will be asked if they support the town’s commitment to a dedicated reparations fund, have experienced discrimination or been treated unfairly and their experience with the town and region’s economic, health care, public schools, political, policing, judicial, housing and social services systems.

For those of Black and/of African heritage, additional questions will focus on peoplehood questions, including denial of rights to openly express cultures and destruction of Black spaces, townships and institutions, as well as who should be eligible for reparations, and the options, such as financial assistance for buying or remodeling a house, educational scholarships or cash payments, and associated symbolic acts, like renaming spaces and public art installations.

Finally, survey participants will be asked to offer input on whether they support a successor committee to the assembly and a truth and reconciliation process, such as for topics including renaming the town and requiring comprehensive cultural competency training for all town employees.

Any questions about the survey, including the need for translation or a paper copy, should contact Miller at millerm@amherstma.gov or 413-259-3001. Those having trouble accessing the survey should contact Kerry Spitzer at the UMass Donahue Institute at kspitzer@umass.edu or 413-545-1568.

The survey and other information is at www.engageamherst.org/ahra

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.]]>