May 24, 2022
Remembering George Floyd, two years later
Illustration by Adrian Brandon / Forbes
It has been two years since George Floyd was murdered at the hands of a police officer on a street corner in Minneapolis.
History has demonstrated that action in the name of those whose lives were taken at the hands of police brutality can bring about powerful change. By some estimates, as many as 26 million Americans took to the streets, joining peaceful protests across the country and demanding change – the largest collective action ever taken in the U.S.
The police officer, Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, has been convicted and sentenced to more than 22 years in prison, and Floyd’s family has reached a historic $27 million settlement with the city of Minneapolis.
Read: Two Years after George Floyd’s Murder, What’s Changed? What’s Next? (Boston University)
Remembering George Floyd – and so many others whose lives were cut short by police violence – reminds us of the persistence of systemic and personal racism in the U.S., and the threat that racism poses to the health and well-being of Black people and communities.
With the grim reminder of such racism manifesting in the racially-motivated mass shooting in Buffalo, NY earlier this month, those who would create an actively anti-racist world must reinvigorate the momentum for change that Floyd’s murder spurred.
At the UW Combined Fund Drive, we are dedicated to a future where all people are valued, and inclusive and equitable practices are embedded in the culture of who we are. Read more about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Learn More
- Biden to sign executive order on policing two years after George Floyd’s death (CBS News)
- George Floyd’s America: Examining systemic racism and racial injustice in the post-civil rights era (Washington Post)
- Two Years After George Floyd, Black Leaders Reflect On Change (Forbes)
- Two years after George Floyd’s murder, this is how to keep allies in the fight (Fast Company)
- We Asked Black Americans: How Safe Do You Feel Two Years After George Floyd’s Murder? Here Are Their Answers (Forbes)
Support
Help support the fight against racial inequality and offer solidarity to communities of color by making a one-time donation or setting up payroll deduction to a CFD nonprofit working in the racial justice space:
ACLU of Washington (charity code 0316142): The ACLU works to ensure the rights and privileges provided by the Constitution are available to every single person in this country.
Community Bail Funds (charity code 1482097): Donating is an easy way to support protestors nationwide. The site equally divides your donation between 38 community bail funds or allows you to allocate a desired amount to each fund.
Equal Justice Initiative (charity code 1482073): EJI has been fighting racial and economic injustice in the prison system for 30 years and provides assistance to advocates and policymakers to prevent unfair incrimination.
NAACP’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund (charity code 0316271): The NAACP’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund uses litigation, advocacy, and public education to work towards racial justice and equality for all Americans. The organization is fighting to protect voting rights, reform the criminal justice system, and improve equal access to education, among other civil rights causes.
The Opportunity Agenda (charity code 1482906): The Opportunity Agenda is a social justice communication lab that works to advance the impact of the social justice community. We believe that opportunity should be full and equal and that greater opportunity for all benefits everyone.
Southern Poverty Law Center (charity code 0316284): From monitoring hate groups to seeking justice for vulnerable people and educating youth on the value of diversity, the Southern Poverty Law Center is doing the work to fight hate and systemic bigotry in this country.
