Denver Kids takes solace in the guilty verdict against Derek Chauvin on all three counts in the George Floyd murder trial. It demonstrates a new willingness of the American people to hold accountable those who use their positions of power against people of color. Unfortunately, such an outcome is far too rare.
As a society, we have much work to do in order to bring about racial justice and equality. However, we are hopeful that this verdict is an indication of future progress and change to policing mentality, policies, and accountability.
We acknowledge that this trial has brought up a wide spectrum of grief, trauma, and anger, which takes a collective toll on our students, families, staff, volunteers, and community. Denver Kids is committed to ongoing anti-racist work and to holding space that supports justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion of all communities.
We also recognize that Denver Kids programs do not operate in silos, but within a societal construct where there is a clear and historic pattern of systemic racism which leads to oppression and violence against people of color in our communities.
We understand that the fight for justice for all communities of color is necessary for equity in the lives of our young people and families, and the work of redressing the systemic racism that led to this tragedy must continue.
As a continuous learning organization, we recommend exploring the following resources:
- Reflecting On George Floyd’s Death And Police Violence Towards Black Americans Guide
- George Floyd, Racism and Law Enforcement
- Resources For Talking About Race, Racism And Racialized Violence With Kids
Patrick Byrne
CEO
