Justice for George Floyd: Our Response to the Chauvin Trial Verdict

Artwork by Nikkolas Smith

 

On Tuesday 20th April, a US jury found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of the murder of George Floyd.

Along with communities across the US, and the world, we waited for the verdict to be announced. And while the outcome is one that we were hoping for, we also recognise that there is still a way to go in order for systematic change to happen, and for justice to be served in all cases. The jury’s verdict held Derek Chauvin to account for his actions and in turn, there was accountability for when Black life is taken at the hands of police – but there is still work to do.

At City Year UK, we are proud to be actively anti-racist, and we value the diversity of our community. We are dedicated to supporting every young person that we work with who has shared their experiences of institutionalised racism with us, and to addressing the attainment gap within education, in order to help every child reach their highest potential. And as a team, we will continue to discuss diversity, inclusion and racism within open forums, as well as exploring published texts and current affairs. These may sometimes be difficult conversations, but they are necessary to educate ourselves and give space to voices and views that may otherwise have gone unheard.

We stand with the Black community, with George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Daunte Wright and countless others whose lives have been taken at the hands of the police – and we hope that the jury’s decision has brought their loved ones a measure of relief and comfort.

Artwork of George Floyd created by Nikkolas Smith and used with permission – please do visit his account at @nikkolas_smith on IG, and check out more of his work.