George Floyd was 46 years old when he was murdered on the street by ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The father of five moved to the Midwest city in 2014 and worked two jobs driving a truck and providing security at a local restaurant. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Floyd lost his security job. On May 25, Floyd was suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a local store and officers were called to the scene. The question remains: how can a police call lead to the killing of an unarmed and unresisting man pinned to the ground, unable to breath for nearly nine minutes? For weeks, protests and outrage have spread across the U.S. and internationally as the killing of Floyd brings racial inequality and police brutality into focus once again. Even during a pandemic, people are showing up to say they’re completely fed up with the lack of equal justice, rights and opportunities for all.
Guests:
- Dr. Lauren Powell, social epidemiologist, executive director, Time’s Up Healthcare.
- Gary Walker, Chicago-based cinematographer.
Links for more information:
- Police Reform: Campaign Zero.
- PNAS study: 1 in 1000 black men will be killed by police during their lifetime.
- Data Visualizing Police Violence Across the United States: Mapping Police Violence.
- The Guardian: By the numbers: US police kill more in days than other countries do in years.
- Stat News Article by Dr. Lauren Powell: My nightmare: Covid-19 meets racism meets the killing of a Black person by police.
- The Marshall Project: Nonprofit Media Outlet Covering Criminal Justice Reform.
- BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective): Increasing Accessibility to Mental Health and Emotional Health Services in Black Communities.
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