As we, the staff of Women’s Advocates, reflect on events of the past few weeks, including the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin and the death and funeral of Daunte Wright:
We hold in our caring embrace the families and loved ones of George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Nekeya Moody and the families and loved ones of all Black and Brown victims of police violence, of all genders.
We lift up Darnella Frazier, Donald Williams and the other active bystanders whose courageous actions helped bring accountability for the murder of George Floyd, and whose lives have been marked by their experience.
We applaud the protesters, activists, and the women and men of the Chauvin jury, all of whose tenacity and courage helped bring accountability for the murder of George Floyd.
We resolve to continue to scrutinize our relationships and interactions with law enforcement, recognizing that our duty of care is to domestic violence victim/survivors in shelter and in the community, and understanding that the systems that are traditionally thought to protect victims often result in further victimization and harm that disproportionately impact marginalized people and communities.
We hold sacred our duty to continue the fight to dismantle white supremacy and other interlocking systems of oppression that prevent the attainment of true justice.
Finally, we amplify these words from activist Nekima Levy Armstrong: “Thank you especially to the Black women who are always holding it down, when it is popular and when it is not, for the sake of our community.”