One Step on a Long Road to Justice

Today’s unanimous verdict finding Derek Chauvin guilty on all charges of murder and manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd is just one step in the right direction on a long road to ending police brutality, dismantling white supremacy, and achieving justice for our communities.

This verdict does not change what we know to be true: a racist, unjust police system has never kept us safe, and it will never deliver justice for our people. George Floyd should be here. We send our condolences and continued care to his family, and we fully support their efforts to find solace and accountability with this verdict. 

We know that real safety and freedom will only come with immediate and drastic change that addresses the root causes of inequity and injustice in our country. What our communities need has not changed: we must defund police and invest in our communities. Years of police reforms have failed; police brutality and murders of Black and Brown communities persist daily. We must reimagine what safety means for our communities. We call for increased investment in life-affirming supports like community-based mental health care and high-quality education, as well as critical protections for our communities through legalization for all 11 million undocumented immigrants and an immediate end to all deportations.

HANA Center remains committed to fighting for shared liberation, following the direction of Black community leaders, and doing our own internal work to challenge anti-Blackness in our multi-generational Asian Americans and immigrant communities. We will continue to push for long-term community-led solutions and expanding access to critical supports like Healthcare, Education, and Citizenship For All NOW!