For the past month, Derek Chauvin has been on trial for the murder of George Floyd. Finally, the verdict is out. Chauvin faced three charges: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. To convict Chauvin, the prosecution needed to show each charge beyond a reasonable doubt. The prosecution did not need to prove that Chauvin intended to kill George Floyd to convict him of the charges.
Sharing graphic videos of police brutality may raise awareness, but also cause harm and obfuscate the real effort needed to create change.
The death has been referred to as an “accidental discharge.” But there is nothing accidental about the death of an unarmed Black man by law enforcement. Our system is designed to maximize interactions between Black and brown people and police officers, which all but ensures that harm will happen. This is enforced through the practice of over-policing, initiatives that have justified increased levels of policing for the sake of the greater good, but often with adverse consequences (Scientific American).
Defunding the police allows communities to reinvest in other forms of community support while dismantling a system rooted in racism and white supremacy.
The 1992 Los Angeles riots were sparked by a series of injustices by the criminal justice system against marginalized people that remain unaddressed 30 years later.
Due to ableist and racist standards, the mere existence of Black disabled people increases their incidence of violent treatment and death.
As abortion bans, inflation, and incidences of police brutality occur, the need to protest remains urgent. Here are a few tips for protesting safely this summer.
The memeification of Breonna Taylor aims to keep Taylor's name in the media but is often perpetuating the same systems that harm Black women.
Two years after being murdered by the police and the focus of protests, the fight to get justice for Breonna Taylor continues.
Due to policies and the staff culture in prisons, racial segregation and oppression are used to subjugate minority groups.
