Our Children Oregon acknowledges the guilty verdict against Derek Chauvin on all three counts for George Floyd’s murder. We know that while this verdict may offer some solace to the Floyd family, it does not bring back their son, their father, their brother, their loved one. While this single conviction holds accountable a single man in this tragic and unnecessary crime, accountability alone is not justice. Justice would not allow for the devastating deaths of Ma’Khia Bryant, Adam Toledo, Daunte Wright, and countless others at the hands of the police.
Yesterday’s verdict does not undo the pervasive racial inequalities—white supremacy, anti-blackness, structural racism—that permeate our communities. The work to dismantle racism in public schools, in health care, in community safety, and in other systems must continue with the urgency its consequences demand. Our Children Oregon will continue to look to the leadership of BIPOC-led organizations as we amplify and advocate for legislative investments and community solutions that move Oregon towards a more just future. We will continue to work towards building an Oregon rooted in racial equity where all children are celebrated, honored, and belong.
We cannot do right by all children in Oregon until we do right by Black children and their families and communities.
