Democracy in Black: Reparations, Repair, and Black Movements Across the Americas

“Democracy in Black: Reparations, Repair, and Black Movements Across the Americas” brings together organizers, advocates, and community members to examine the growing threats facing Black communities under the current U.S. American political administration across the Americas.

From South Bend, Indiana to Guatemala, Mexico, and Colombia, Black communities are confronting deepening inequalities, policy rollbacks, and systemic challenges that undermine democratic participation and collective well-being. This conversation will explore how these threats are interconnected and what it means to defend and reimagine democracy through the lens of Black resistance, resilience, and self-determination. Grounded in the urgent need for reparations and meaningful repair, the event will highlight strategies for strengthening Black movements across borders and building solidarity in the face of rising political and social pressures.

The event will feature local South Bend, Indiana voices alongside international perspectives, including Alí Bantu Ashanti, lawyer and Executive Director of the Racial Justice Collective, Mynor Alonzo, political analyst, strategist, and co-founder of FOCO, and Elena Gutiérrez, Mexico Program Director for Global Exchange and collaborator with the People’s Movement for Peace and Justice. Together, speakers will offer insight into the conditions facing Black communities today and share pathways toward justice, accountability, and sustained movement-building. Join us for a critical dialogue on preserving democracy, advancing reparative justice, and strengthening transnational Black solidarity in this pivotal moment.