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 where he worked 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 simple police call lead to the killing of an unarmed and unresisting man?
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 in the midst of a pandemic, people are showing up to say they’re fed up with the lack of equal justice, rights and opportunities for all.
Guest Information:
- Gary Walker, cinematographer.
- Dr. Lauren Powell, social epidemiologist, executive director, Time’s Up Healthcare.
Links for more info:
- Campaign Zero
- Reclaim The Block
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS): Risk of being killed by police use of force in the United States by age, race–ethnicity, and sex
- Mapping Police Violence
- The Guardian: By the numbers: US police kill more in days than other countries do in years
- Stat News: My nightmare: Covid-19 meets racism meets the killing of a Black person by police
- Dr. Lauren R. Powell’s twitter: @DrLaurenP
- Time’s Up Foundation: Real Change Is Possible
- Gary Walker’s Twitter: @garywalkerdp
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