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As the nation awaits a verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer accused of murdering George Floyd, I want to acknowledge the pain and suffering the members of our BIPOC community, especially our Black members, may be feeling.
Ongoing violence affecting communities of color demonstrate the urgent need for lasting systemic change. It has been difficult to watch the Chauvin trial play out and to witness the raw pain and emotion of Mr. Floyd’s family and friends along with those who were at that street corner the day he died. We have collectively mourned Mr. Floyd alongside those who knew him best.
Mourning Mr. Floyd, individually and collectively, is not enough. We need to take individual and collective actions to put an end to systemic racism, to actively pursue equity, dignity and respect for all, to understand and call out overt discrimination and the microaggressions that too many people of color face every day. We must take collective responsibility and build deeper relationships with each other. As a union, we can do just that for our members and the public we serve.