South Bend Reparatory Justice Commission hosts first public forum

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The South Bend Reparatory Justice Commission hosted their first public forum on Saturday at the Charles Martin Youth Center.

The forums are held in an effort to gather stories and experiences from people within the South Bend community who have experienced racism.

These first-hand encounters are set to be compiled together and used in a report presented to the public and the South Bend City Council in June of 2025. 

Today's forum separated attendees into discussion groups based on the experiences they had to share; some gathered to talk about racism they've encountered in housing, others in medicine, mental health or even the wealth gap and policing. 

The commission is looking to host one public forum per month through August, when an initial report will be completed.

More information on the commission's goals and dates for future events can be found here.