Today the Senate Members of Color Caucus issued the following statement in reaction to the verdict of guilty on all counts issued moments ago in Derek Chauvin’s trial.
“Words cannot undo the deep wound that George Floyd’s murder left in his family, in his community, in Black communities here in our state and across the nation. They cannot undo the actions of the man who ended his life. They cannot erase the history of racism and racial violence that blinded that man to George Floyd’s humanity, and gave him such a sense of impunity that he believed he could snuff out another person’s life without consequences.
“But today: George Floyd’s killer did face consequences. We use our words now to commend this outcome – a just verdict and rare accountability, for George Floyd’s loved ones and Black Americans in our state and country – but also to reiterate our commitment to making sure that justice is not rare. That accountability is not uncertain. That another father, friend, or neighbor is not another victim. That Black Lives Matter.
“Words cannot undo what went wrong – but they can set us on the path to what is right. As the Senate Members of Color Caucus, we use our words to advocate for sustained, systemic change – for Black and brown communities, for historically marginalized communities, for every single Washingtonian.
“We use our words to collaborate and to mobilize, to reform and to progress. We will continue to use our words to write laws that add accountability and transparency to policing, so that we can heal our community and build a future where everyone feels safe, valued, and cared for – to make a Washington where each one of us can thrive and build healthy lives.
“Words cannot return George Floyd home to his family. But they can shape policy that leads to a future in which our Black community members can trust they’ll go home to theirs.”
