It is difficult to describe with words on paper what we have gone through together since we began this campaign. On Memorial day, the Minneapolis Police Department murdered a black man named George Floyd on 38th and Chicago, the heart of our Senate District. As a young black man, every instance of police violence against our community is a personal reminder that the Minneapolis Police Department isn’t here to protect and serve. From my experience I can tell you this: the trauma of George Floyd’s murder will never go away. The only thing we can do is continue to organize for justice and change.
This June, we all witnessed the power of direct action. Massive protests started conversations around the world about our system of policing and the racism and classism that it upholds. Elected officials who were previously silent on the issue are beginning to speak up. We cannot simply put our faith in a system that got us to this point. We need to continue to mobilize and work at all levels to replace our current model for public safety with one that protects people over property and answers directly to the people.