Gillibrand: We Need ‘Bold’ Reform to Correct ‘Systemic Racism’ That Has ‘Held Black Americans Back for Generations’

Wednesday on ABC’s “The View,” Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said she supported “bold and systemic reform,” to correct “systemic racism that has held black Americans back for generations.”

When asked where she stands on “monetary reparations,” Gillibrand said, “I support Congresswoman Jackson Lee’s bill to do a commission to study reparations. When I’m president In will sign that commission into law and get it started.”

She added, “But in the meanwhile I think we need to deal with the deep and persistent income inequality and intuitional racism and systemic racism that has held black Americans back for generations. You will see systemic racism in health care, in education, in the economy, jobs, in criminal justice, housing. You’ve seen it historically starting with slavery, starting with Jim Crow, stating with redlining, starting with mass incarcerations over decades. And so your going to need bold and systemic reform that can tackle all of these issues across the board. And we should be working legislatively now to do exactly that.”

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