Alameda County takes steps to distribute redress funds for Russell City residents

More steps are in the works to distribute money set aside for former residents of Russell City in Alameda County. So Russell City was once located near Hayward and had about 1,400 residents who were predominantly black and Latino. The city of Hayward annexed Russell City in the 1960s, displacing families and businesses in order to build the Hayward Airport and an industrial park. The Hayward City Council issued a formal apology in 2021, and in August of this year, the board approved more than $1.4 million for the Russell City Redress Fund, and this week, the board took fiscal action to formalize the allocation of the fund. The deadline for former residents to apply to claim money from this fund is coming up in just a few days on Monday. For more on all of this, we're joined live now by James Knowles, a former Russell City resident and whose daughter, Aisha. is the chair of the Russell City Reparative Justice Project Committee. Really appreciate you joining me. So if you can, I want to talk with you a little personally about your experience. So take us back to Russell City. I know it was a long time ago, but what do you remember about growing up there and what was that community like? Well, for me, I had a bunch of relatives on my mother's side and my father's side. So and those interactions took place daily. And once we were all pretty much evicted, we lost that contact. Okay. So along with the close bond with the relatives, there were other families and friends that were there. We didn't have any opportunity to say goodbye. They just told us to get out. And we dispersed all over the place. We do have an annual reunion, which is called Picnic, at Kennedy Park the Sunday before Labor Day. And that's the only time that we can all get together and reminisce and share stories and continue that relationship. Yeah, so really that action tore your family apart. Yes. Well, literally, because my parents divorced. My mother had to raise four kids on a single income. And it was tough. It was really tough. So when you look back at what happened, what did losing Russell City really mean for you and your family? Well, think about an 11, 12-year-old kid that all of a sudden had to move and didn't know where we were going, how we were going to survive, what school we were going to go to, and then all the things that go through a preteen at that time, in addition to all the things that we had to deal with in terms of being uprooted and changing environments, and it was a whole lot of it. Badness. Yeah. Yeah. And now more than 60 years later, Alameda County and the city of Hayward, as we mentioned, are moving forward with the redress fund. What does it mean to you to see this finally happening? Well, for me, it's it's acknowledgement that what they did was wrong to begin with. They didn't take any steps to try and alleviate some of that stress and anxiety on any of those families. And now to acknowledge that, yes, it was wrong, and to try and make a good faith gesture to provide some funds for the elders, which is part of phase one, is a good move, but there aren't that many elders left. I have one relative left, and she's in her 90s, mid-90s, and living with her kids. I don't know how many other folks and families are in similar situations where the people that own the property are no longer with us, and only the descendants are left. So it's been a long time. It's a long road. We've got a lot of work to do. And in my mind, again, I'm just speaking personally, it's a teardrop in a 100-gallon bucket. Yeah. As you mentioned that application deadline, it is coming up on Monday under phase one, which you were just talking about. What would you say to former Russell City residents who may be eligible but have not yet applied? Hurry up and get it done because the clock is ticking. Now, the folks that I've talked to are probably in the second phase because these are descendants of the owners of the property back then. So all I've heard was positive comments about The process, you know, I was under the impression it was going to be hoops the size of dimes that we would have to jump through in terms of red tape and forms that needed to be filled out and different offices that you had to go to to verify who you were and to document proof of who you were. My final question for you, when we talk about those who are eligible, I know that you believe this is a really important opportunity. So what would you tell those who maybe are reluctant because of the process, because of the time that it may take? Well, first off, I don't know anybody that's reluctant. They are in the process of filling out the paperwork. Being a retired county employee, I suggested to them to be patient, Knowing how red tape And the county moves, so that would be my suggestion to them. We just be patient, in time it will happen, and then we'll move on to phase two. I think phase two will offer us more opportunity for folks to realize some of the things that they've lost. In the last 60, 65 years. Yeah, I know that it is, as you mentioned, a small sum of money for what you and others endured and that really no amount of money can make up for the home and the community that you lost all those years ago. But again, the county and the city taking important steps. Really appreciate you joining me today. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. Such an important conversation. So powerful to hear James's perspective on how his family was affected. A great impact.