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Friends—

Today, a jury found former officer Derek Chauvin guilty for the murder of George Floyd. This verdict was a step in the right direction for a nation that often refuses to hold the powerful accountable. But there is no justice today, because George should be alive.

This verdict comes five years after Philando Castile was killed in the Twin Cities, and less than two weeks after the murder of Daunte Wright ten miles from where the trial was being conducted. Since the trial began on March 29th, 64 people have been killed by police [[link removed]] —an average of three people a day, and most Black or Latinx.

One guilty verdict does not erase scores of law enforcement personnel who were never held accountable for the crimes they meted out on marginalized communities.

Almost every day, we read the names of people in our communities whose lives are stolen by police as they walk home, drive for take out, come home from work, or sleep in their own beds.



We need substantive solutions that hold police accountable, and policymakers accountable for failing to invest in proven solutions that keep communities safe. Too often the communities that experience police violence, are often brutalized by gun violence. If we want to create a nation that works for all, we must start with creating a nation where people of color are free from violence.

Every policymaker must pass policies that invest in our communities. They must make good on their promises to invest in gun violence prevention and intervention strategies, and state and local governments must do their fair share as well. This is the only way to give communities of color a sense of true safety.

Today’s verdict is only a first step, and we will keep working to demand justice and building a world where people of color are safe from gun violence.

In solidarity,

The CJAF Team



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