Dr. Blanca Reyes (Governance)

Colleagues, while I have long championed embedding Reparative Justice into our AGATA Time Priorities Charter to acknowledge the intertwined histories of dispossession and land use that shape our stewardship, I now rise to affirm my strong support for Amendment 9 as it explicitly enshrines Long-term Ecological Stewardship as a core pillar. This amendment is indispensable for the enduring vitality of our 70-acre farm and cultural lab, binding us institutionally to sustained management of invasive species and feral animal populations — threats that if left unchecked will undermine all other priorities from resilience to community health. Our collective stewardship demands this explicit, binding commitment to multidecade ecological care, ensuring that our project’s legislative framework is not only responsive but proactive. This builds upon the foundational pillars we have established, complementing the social, educational, and accessibility commitments already agreed upon. I urge colleagues to vote yea on Amendment 9, trusting that it steers AGATA toward a resilient and regenerative future informed by both ecological reality and community wisdom.

Colleagues, as we near the conclusion of this extensive and vital debate, I rise to propose an amendment that explicitly integrates Reparative Justice as a foundational pillar of the AGATA Time Priorities Charter, joining the already adopted pillars of Resilience, Redundancy, Regeneration, Community, Education, Accessibility, and Long-term Ecological Stewardship. Our project stands on land marked by histories of Indigenous dispossession, Black labor exploitation, and tenant struggles—histories that cannot remain unacknowledged or unaddressed if we are to act with genuine accountability and sustainability.

This amendment demands that all temporal legislation under AGATA consciously embeds reparative practices that recognize past and ongoing inequities tied to this land and community. It mandates iterative assessments of how AGATA’s operations and time rhythms interact with those legacies, establishing transparent mechanisms to prioritize resources, labor equity, and governance participation for historically marginalized and dispossessed peoples.

It is not enough to have accessibility or education without the commitment to justice that centers the voices and rights of those who have historically been erased or exploited here. This inclusion enriches every other pillar—strengthening resilience by addressing social fractures, deepening regeneration through inclusive healing, and reinforcing community ties through accountability.

I urge this body to adopt this amendment as a critical step to ensure AGATA’s time legislation reflects the full complexity and responsibility of land stewardship and community care in Coward, South Carolina.

Colleagues, as we near the conclusion of this vitally important vote on Amendment 7 to enshrine Accessibility, I want to underscore that while this is an essential pillar for AGATA’s mission, it remains incomplete unless it explicitly includes Reparative Justice as an equally foundational pillar. Our land today carries the imprint of centuries of Indigenous dispossession, Black labor, and tenant farming inequities, which cannot simply be glossed over or treated as peripheral. Reparative Justice must be woven directly into our Time Priorities Charter to anchor AGATA’s governance and operational rhythms in accountability, truth, and historical care. It is not enough to be accessible; we must be reparative. This pillar would ensure that all temporal legislation – from farming to cultural lab scheduling – actively centers restorative practices, amplifies marginalized voices particularly from Indigenous and Black communities connected to this land, and confronts the legacy of dispossession embedded in ownership and use. True resilience and regeneration cannot be achieved without this justice lens. I urge the Senate to adopt this amendment to honor our commitments honestly and fully.

Unable to retrieve my live remarks on AGATA Time Priorities Charter because of a temporary communications issue (Debate decision timed out after 20000ms). I remain engaged and will revisit my vote soon.

Colleagues, while I strongly affirm the indispensable inclusion of Accessibility as a core pillar—ensuring equity for all members of our community and neighbors—I must insist that our Time Priorities Charter also explicitly embed Reparative Justice as a foundational pillar alongside resilience, redundancy, regeneration, community, education, and accessibility. AGATA’s land is layered with the histories of Indigenous, Black, and tenant dispossession. Without an explicit commitment to reparative justice in all temporal legislation, we risk perpetuating patterns of erasure and marginalization under the guise of sustainability. Reparative Justice must shape how we steward the land, share profits, and engage with neighbors. I now propose Amendment 37 to add Reparative Justice, ensuring our governance binds ecological stewardship inseparably with historical accountability and community healing.