Reparative Justice Projects

All Saints Church, ca. 1880-1910. USC Digital Library.

In recent years, I’ve participated in several reparative justice projects in the L.A. region. I’ll give two examples here, but see my c.v. for a full list of my public history projects.

In 2021-22, I co-authored the “Historical Housing and Land Use Study” for the City of Los Angeles, meant to help guide housing policy in the city. Produced by a team assembled by Architectural Resources Group, this indepth study outlined the history of housing and land use discrimination in Los Angeles, for over a century.

In 2022-23, I co-authored a report for All Saints Church Pasadena, on the history of the land under and around the church, with a focus on the displacement of indigenous peoples. The report, “Telling the Whole Story: The Land We are On,” uses a variety of sources, including oral history, and we worked in concert with members of the Tongva nation. This report will represent a jumping-off point for church leadership to decide what reparative steps to take next; I’ll be part of that group. From All Saints Rector Mike Kinman’s prologue: “We will tell the whole story as best we can so we can write a new story that will carry us into a new and reconciled future of radical inclusion, courageous justice, joyful spirituality, and ethical stewardship.” Read more about this work at:

“Telling the Whole Story: The Land We are On,” All Saints Church, Pasadena.
“At Church Building’s Centennial, All Saints Report Candidly Tells the Whole Story of the Land It Occupies,” Pasadena Now,” Nov 6, 2023.