Today marks two years since the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police Officer. In the wake of this tragedy, George Floyd became a symbol of inequality and systemic injustice against people of color. His murder focused the world on the stark reality of racial prejudice in our communities. Locally, killings of people of color such as Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center and Amir Locke of Minneapolis have continued at the hands of law enforcement. At the same time, George Floyd has become a catalyst for necessary conversations about racism and police reform.
Slowly things have begun to change, but change does not come without pain. As racial inequities are highlighted, extreme ideologies have reared their ugly heads and radicalization has prompted hate filled attacks. This month, we saw domestic terrorism perpetrated on people of color in Buffalo, New York. The killing of 13 innocent people in a grocery store rooted in racial hatred. And yesterday, we reeled in horror as innocent children of Hispanic descent were murdered at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. We are reminded daily of the consequences of failing to address racial inequities. While we are making progress, we must stay engaged and continue to strive to do better. We must all continue to focus on ending racial injustice and support communities of color. At Nichols Kaster, we are committed to doing so.