R.A.C.E. Matters releases short film ‘Restrictions Apply’ 

Documentary follows Jaime Lewis, a SLO resident who confronts racist language in her private home deed

– San Luis Obispo-based organization R.A.C.E. Matters SLO County presents Restrictions Apply – A short film about racism and the “happiest city” in North America. Directed by San Luis Obispo County native Justice Whitaker, the 18-minute documentary follows Jaime Lewis, a SLO resident who confronts racist language in her private home deed. The companion Tool Kit for neighborhoods and communities empowers viewers to host screenings and discussions, and provides resources for further action in addressing the lasting effects of systemic racism. The public can access the free film and tool kit for a limited time on racemattersslo.org.

Produced by R.A.C.E. Matters SLO in 2020, Restrictions Apply features notable experts including one of the nation’s foremost authorities on racially-restrictive covenants, Dr. Kirsten Delegard of Mapping Prejudice in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Also featured is California Assemblyman Kevin McCarty of Sacramento, who authored Assembly Bill 1466. Signed into law in September 2021 by Governor Gavin Newsom, AB 1466 requires that real estate professionals alert buyers to racially-restrictive covenants in their deed, and provide the means to redact that language through the county clerk recorder. Assembly member McCarty invited Restrictions Apply’s Lewis to testify twice in support of the bill to the California Senate.

“Although the removal of racial covenants is largely a symbolic gesture, realtors and real estate professionals now have a major prompt to understand and share the history and effects of housing discrimination with their clients,” Lewis said. “The film, the toolkit, and the passage of AB 1466 offer valuable opportunities to connect the dots for those who don’t see or understand the concept of systemic racism.”

Jaime Lewis of Restrictions Apply is available for interviews. R.A.C.E. Matters SLO is a San Luis Obispo-based organization that creates artistic, cultural, educational, and social experiences that amplify Black voices and matters of racial justice.

About the author: News Staff

News staff of the A-Town Daily News wrote and edited this article from local contributors and press releases. Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Connect with him on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, or follow his blog. He can be reached at scott@accesspublishing.com.