South Bend, Indiana - South Bend is set to take a big step as its reparations commission prepares to hold its first public forum on Saturday, February 17.

The South Bend Reparatory Justice Commission, green lit by the Common Council last September, is tasked with studying and developing proposals to address the city's legacy of structural racism.

Saturday's session, scheduled to take place from 3:00-5:00 PM at the Charles Martin Youth Center, will allow Black residents to share personal stories of racism's harmful impacts.

The commission is particularly interested in public testimonies concerning five key focus areas:

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Commission members will lead small-group discussions to delve into the testimonies in greater detail.

"The public testimonials are a fundamentally important part of it [...] because I think that the broader community needs to hear these stories," commission chair Darryl Heller told the South Bend Tribune.

The activity is a critical step in the mission to create a freer, more equal South Bend by tackling present-day racial disparities at their root.