There are quite a few events in the month of February, which carry the themes of reconciliation or extending the olive branch, around the globe. But, it has become characteristic for historically disadvantaged people to be the ones to extend the olive branch as a sign of peace and/or reconciliation despite their trauma, abuse and attempted erasure of their family histories. Earlier this month, the Canadian government revealed that it will pay more than $2bn to hundreds of Indigenous communities to settle a lawsuit seeking compensation for the loss of language and culture caused by residential schools and in Los Angeles, the Black Reparations Project based in Mills College at Northeastern University will on Wednesday hold its virtual Black Reparations Conference. Final proposals for California’s first-of-its-kind statewide reparations program will be submitted by July 1, kickstarting the legislative process for what could be a monumental shift in the lives of Black Americans across the country.

 Lerato Mbele is in conversation with Professor Patrick Bond, from the University of Johannesburg’s Department of Sociology.