Friend —

On Sunday morning, I visited the corner of 38th and Chicago in Minneapolis, which is just a few miles from where I live. These pictures show how the community has come together to lift up the memory of George Floyd. It’s a place of reverence, and filled with both a sense of peace and of purpose.

We have so much work to do, and I feel great urgency to get it done. We need justice for George Floyd and accountability for all the officers who were involved in his murder. And we need to work to fix the larger systemic problems.

And, as our community continues to suffer through the COVID-19 crisis that has disproportionately affected communities of color, we need to face up to the disparities in opportunity that hurt black, brown, and indigenous people every day, and we need to use this moment to take action.

We need to address the systemic problems in the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), which sadly are not unique to Minneapolis. To start, I have asked the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to immediately begin an investigation into patterns and practices of racial bias and violent policing at the MPD.

I also support legislation led by my colleagues Senators Tammy Duckworth and Kamala Harris that would help states establish independent prosecutors in cases of police use of deadly force. People need to be able to trust that there is no conflict of interest when it comes to holding law enforcement accountable.

Many of you have asked how you can help the families that have been hurt. There are many wonderful organizations lending a hand and supporting communities of color during this painful time, including Midtown Global Market and NorthPoint Health and Wellness.

Thank you so much for your generous support.

— Tina