Today, the jury in the Derek Chauvin case ruled that he was guilty in the death of George Floyd.
As we manage our reactions to the Chauvin verdict it’s important to pause and reflect: George Floyd’s death last summer was a tragedy, and the nationwide protests and racial reckoning that have continued since then have created a profound sense of urgency and a shared awakening in the American consciousness.
The murder of Mr. Floyd elevated a broader discussion about the relationship between police and minority communities, including acts of police violence. His death sparked collective awareness of persistent systemic violence against Black and other minoritized people in our country and enlightened many to the realities of structural racism in American institutions. That violence and racism continues every day, and our increased awareness sparks strong reactions each day, and especially today.
Today’s verdict doesn’t signal a win or loss or the end of the fight for equality – it signals the need for the continued pursuit of racial equity, justice and a greater emphasis on our shared humanity.
At Fred Hutch, we remain committed to eliminating suffering in the world and to becoming an anti-racist institution. In this endeavor, we are determined to strengthen and deepen our efforts that affirm the equal rights, value and protection of Black, Indigenous, Asian American Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latinx communities – in the streets, on our campus and in our science. We stand firmly against racial oppression in all its forms, including racial and ethnic health inequities not just because it is the moral and just thing to do but because cancer, COVID-19 and other diseases disproportionately affect people of color and underserved communities.
We offer our deepest sympathies to Mr. Floyd’s family and to all those who are impacted by this tragedy.
An update on our efforts to change
Hutch News | June 12, 2020
ODEI Statement in Affirmation of Black Lives
Statement | September 2020
Guidance for Protesting During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Statement | June 12, 2020
Members of the Fred Hutch staff and faculty raise a new #BlackLivesMatter flag and banner on the Hutch campus in South Lake Union.
Twitter | June 17, 2020
