Today’s guilty-on-all-counts verdict does not bring George Floyd back to his family and friends. Today’s verdict does not erase the trauma re-inflicted by the trial itself. Today’s verdict does not solve all challenges between communities of color and law enforcement. And today’s verdict does not address all the issues around systemic racism, bias and disparities that have been a nationwide focus during the pandemic and in the 11 months since Mr. Floyd’s murder. But today’s verdict is a vital, long overdue and unequivocal step toward justice and sends a strong message that public safety policies, protocols and practice must change. We hope the Floyd family feels heard. We hope the thousands and thousands of Black Lives Matter demonstrators feel seen. And we hope the policymakers, activists and law enforcement professionals – locally and nationally – feel empowered to make meaningful change because we know all too well that George Floyd was sadly not the last person of color who unnecessarily lost their life at the hands of police this past year or even this past month.

Here in Metro Denver, Rose Community Foundation and donors to our Community Action Fund for Racial Justice are proud to support local change-making organizations that are working in the areas of police reform and racial justice, including Reimagine Policing and Public Safety Task Force, Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center, Colorado People’s Alliance, NAACP Denver Branch, Padres & Jovenes Unidos, Project VOYCE, Righteous Rage Institute, Young Aspiring Americans for Social & Political Activism, and others.

Photo credit: Westword. Mural painted by Thomas “Detour” Evans and Hiero Veiga.