For once, peace has been achieved for a family affected by the long-standing plague of police brutality in America.
On Tuesday, April 20th, Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd in 2020, was convicted of three separate charges: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
George Floyd is one of many Black Americans in this country who have been victims of what we believe is a poorly designed, flawed, and racist police system.
His death and countless others such as Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, and Ahmaud Arbery have been a catalyst for hundreds of protests and intense conversations and calls for action all over the country.
Over a year later, with the collective participation of millions worldwide some form of change has been attained.
George Floyd’s death is also the reason the JSA Racial Justice Task Force was formed. As students of JSA, we came together to create a community to uplift and combat the consistent racial injustices plaguing this country.
>Derek Chauvin’s conviction is a step in the right direction, but there is still a long road ahead of us. We need more than steps. We need long-term solutions, accountability, and reform. Before Derek Chauvin was convicted, other police killings gained national media attention, including the 'accidental discharge' that killed Daunte Wright. In this case, Minneapolis police officer Kim Porter claimed she mistook her gun for a taser while involved in an altercation with Daunte.
One officer being held accountable in one case is not enough. Yes, our court system prevailed. Derek Chauvin >was convicted, but we can't stop here. We can't become complacent. Through the education of those unaware, the protest against the corrupt, and the dissemination of racial awareness we, as a society, have to continue to affirm what this verdict signified.
Black lives do matter.
Signed,
The Members of the JSA Student Racial Justice Task Force
Resources for Black Lives Matter:
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
- http://www.pb-resources.com/
- https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#petitions
- https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#donate
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/resources/
Charities and Funds:
. American Civil Liberties Union
Articles/Threads:
. 103 things white people can do for racial injustice
. 10 Steps to Non-Optical Allyship
. Transform Allyship into Action: A Toolkit for Non-Black People
Books
. Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
. I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown
. Dark Days by James Baldwin
. How To Be Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
. Freedom Is A Constant Struggle by Angela Davis
