Dear Hutch United Colleagues,
This digest was guest edited by Daniel Reeves. If you are interested in writing or contributing to upcoming digests please contact hutchunited@fredhutch.org
By now you have heard that Derek Chauvin, the ex-police officer, was found guilty of all charges in the murder of George Floyd.
Reflecting on this case provokes complicated emotions and sometimes contradictory thought processes. It might begin with surprise. Being surprised by a guilty verdict after video evidence that showed what most of us knew immediately was murder involves painful self-admission that life is not fair or just. And historically, most cops that kill Black people are not convicted.
Meanwhile, we are not surprised that injustices like the murder of George Floyd continue to occur. In less than the past 30 days, police officers killed Adam Toledo(March 29, 13 years old), Daunte Wright (April 11, 20 years old), and as we write now, Ma’Khia Bryant (April 21, 16 years old). While our brains are adept at rationalizing and deflecting trauma, this self-defense mechanism takes power to overcome. It is additionally horrifying to realize that you may be becoming numb and exhausted by these events.
Thoughts and internal monologues can be complicated. However, we clearly state that a guilty verdict for one cop is not justice. An open-and-shut case stemming from one man’s actions is accountability. The organization MoveOn wrote:
…there is so much more we must do to achieve true justice in this country. Justice would mean George Floyd was alive today. It would mean Daunte Wright was alive today…And simply being alive is not enough, it would mean that we were breaking the grip of racism and white supremacy that prevents us from achieving true justice.
Donate. Rush a $3 donation to Yes4Minneapolis, a Black-led, growing coalition of grassroots, community organizations and individuals who are aiming for a November ballot proposal to replace the violent Minneapolis Police Department with a new Department of Public Safety that would address community safety holistically and with a public health approach.
In solidarity,
Hutch United
Hutch United was founded by Fred Hutch graduate students and postdocs in 2013 with the mission of fostering a supportive and diverse community of scientists. We promote equity and inclusion through community building events, inclusivity training, and by providing access to resources and mentorship. It is up to all of us to create an inclusive scientific community. As such, we welcome all underrepresented groups (all races/ethnicities, genders, ages, national origins, physical abilities, and sexual orientations; as well as veterans, those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, etc) and, of course, allies and advocates.
