CLEAR Workshop on Black Land Ownership Preservation Highlights Innovative Approaches
01.02.24 — The Center for Law, Equity and Race (CLEAR) delivered a virtual workshop titled Preserving Black Land: Ownership: Crafting and Disseminating Effective Strategies and Tools on December 5, 2023.
A select group of practitioners and scholars working on a variety of approaches aimed at addressing black land ownership, land retention and cultivating generational wealth within the Black community, were invited to discuss these issues and identify potential strategies.
Presenters included Ashley C. Adams, Ph.D. Associate Adjunct Professor of Public Policy, Mills College, Northeastern University; Dr. Jabari Simama, Government Affairs Consultant, Direct Invest Development LLC; Christopher Senegal, President of Invictus Development Group; Savonala “Savi” Horne, Executive Director of the Land Loss Prevention Project; and Christopher Norman, Executive Director of the Metro Atlanta Land Bank. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Deborah A. Jackson, managing director of CLEAR.
The presentations included a broad range of ideas and experiences related to land acquisition, retention strategies, and building communities and wealth in rural and urban areas.
Norman described how land trusts can be a tool to support issues of equity and below market rate development. Horne emphasized the historical significance of land within the Black community beyond its physical attributes, the role land played in supporting efforts during the Civil Rights Movement, and new models that foster a supportive ecosystem, emphasizing effective strategies, mutual learning and growth.
Dr. Simama underscored the principle of ‘Ubuntu,’ advocating for leaving legacy communities in an improved state. He described a 15-acre development project underway in Atlanta, Georgia that will include “attainable, affordable and sustainable” housing for low-to-middle-income households and a food cooperative.
Dr. Adams, a fourth-generation descendant of Nicodemus, Kansas, described her work on historical Black towns and efforts to use tools of historic preservation. She highlighted the crucial need for economic development in combination with historic preservation to protect, develop, and promote those communities and their histories.
Senegal described his strategies to combat gentrification by using direct community investments, crowdfunding and identifying areas for investment early that are adjacent to major redevelopment projects.
Presenters and other attendees expressed keen interest in continuing discussions, developing collaborative tools, expanding networks, and reaching a broader audience.
A recording of the workshop can be found here: https://vimeo.com/894185359
About Northeastern University School of Law
The nation’s leader in experiential legal education since 1968, Northeastern University School of Law offers the longest-running, most extensive experience-based legal education program in the country. Northeastern guarantees its students unparalleled practical legal work experiences through its signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. More than 1,000 employers worldwide in a wide range of legal, government, nonprofit and business organizations participate in the program. With a focus on social justice and innovation, Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experiences to successfully practice law.
For more information, contact d.feldman@northeastern.edu