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Statement

Jury Convicts Chauvin for the Murder of George Floyd, But the Work to End Police Violence and the White Supremacy that Drives It Continues

April 20, 2021
Police Reform

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement from leaders of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd:

“George Floyd should still be here. A jury today convicted former police officer Derek Chauvin on all three counts for the murder of George Floyd, as was right. We know that a conviction alone is not justice and we stand in support of the family of George Floyd, the people of Minneapolis, and Black and Brown communities across the country who still face rampant police violence each and every day.

“In no way does this verdict mitigate the urgent need to stop the police violence that takes and harms so many Black and Brown lives. Today must be more than a verdict; it must set an urgent precedent that there will be full accountability for all forms of police violence.

The deadly mix of white supremacy and police terror must finally end.”

-Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO, MomsRising

“America’s moms know that police violence, lack of accountability, and absence of real safety existed before George Floyd was killed and persists today; and we look to our elected leaders to take immediate steps NOW to shift resources away from policing and instead invest in schools, housing, mental health care, social services, and other essential community supports.

“Real community safety requires a major investment in a care infrastructure and a radical departure from criminalizing communities and inadequate reform efforts; and instead investing in supports that enable communities to thrive. That includes enacting key components of the BREATHE Act. 

“As we demand a major shift in resources, we are clear that means a shift at the local, state, and national levels -- a shift away from practices that continue to rubber stamp billions of dollars out of our communities and into the police departments that so clearly don’t keep us safe.

“This reimagining of safety in our communities won’t happen overnight. If we are committed to a world where Black Lives Matter, we must be deliberate and unapologetic as we all push for change, now and until we win.”

-Statement of Beatriz Beckford, National Director, Youth & Family Justice, MomsRising

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.