Documentary on reparations includes Renton family’s story

Just over a year after the Renton Reporter published the story of John Houston and his family’s fight for reparations from the Renton School District, several more articles have been written, a radio interview has been conducted and video segments have been made. Awards have even been garnered for the journalists who have written about the Houston story. Despite the story spreading farther and wider, an influx of support from outside of Renton and prestigious prizes for the reporters, little tangible progress has been made for the Houston cause. In a followup interview, Houston, 70, said that he, his brother Jim and their supporters continue to tell their story at Renton School Board meetings, calling on the school district to take action and reminding the public of what happened to the Houston family in the name of building a new school that was never realized, and eventually sold to developers for profit in the Highlands. “We’ve doubled down on our efforts to continue the work we’re doing and that’s putting our faces in front of the school board,” said Houston, who has been working with several attorneys and a retired Superior Court judge. “We’re really lucky, but you have great...