George Floyd should be alive today. But he isn’t. He was murdered by police -- a death both horrifying and inhumane, but not unique.

People have had enough. They are angry and in pain. And they are calling out for justice.

As I told my colleagues in the Senate earlier this week:

We cannot answer with silence. That would make us complicit.

We cannot answer with “dominance,” as President Trump suggested. That would make us monsters.

We must answer with action. That’s what makes us lawmakers.

I took an oath. I didn’t wave a Bible in the air for a photo op. I placed my hand on the Bible. I swore to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

The “enemy” we face? It’s racism. It’s injustice.

For the 13 years I’ve served in the Senate, I’ve worked with many of my colleagues to push for change, and while some change has come, it’s been inch by inch, when we should be miles ahead. So, right now, I’m pushing for bigger change, faster. It’s past time to respond to the systemic racism that plagues our country with systemic reforms.

A few years ago, I went to Selma, Alabama with my colleagues and Representative John Lewis. I stood there on the bridge where he had his head beaten in. I was in awe of his persistence, his resilience, and his faith that this country could be better, if only we put in the work. That weekend, after 48 years, the white police chief of Montgomery handed his police badge to Congressman Lewis. The chief publicly apologized on behalf of the police for not protecting him and the Freedom Marchers.

I don’t want it to take 48 years for Minneapolis to heal. Or for our nation to fix a justice system that’s been broken since it was built. The people of this country deserve justice now.

You deserve justice now.

I’m going to fight for it,

Amy

P.S. If you are able to give, please consider donating to We Love Lake Street and Northside Economic Opportunity Network. We Love Lake Street is an organization in Minnesota that is supporting small businesses and nonprofits to help them reopen, rebuild their storefronts and serve our neighborhoods. You can donate to We Love Lake Street here. Northside Economic Opportunity Network is an organization that is working to build wealth for low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs in North Minneapolis and surrounding communities. You can donate to Northside Economic Opportunity Network here.