Amid Mpls. Police Verdict, Racial Healing, Inclusion Still Sought

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By: Mike Moen

Another guilty verdict has been reached related to the police killing of George Floyd. It coincides with calls to provide more ways for Black Minnesotans to find healing and feel included.

Three fired Minneapolis police officers were found guilty Thursday on federal charges for violating Floyd’s civil rights. It comes nearly a year after Derek Chauvin, another officer, was convicted on state charges in a landmark verdict.

Under the umbrellas of these cases, Black leaders noted there is still a lot of pain being felt, pointing to the recent police shooting of Amir Locke.

James Burroughs, vice president and chief equity and inclusion officer at Children’s Minnesota, said the urgency should go beyond corporate statements of solidarity.

“What are you gonna do differently to push the people in St. Paul to say, ‘Hey, no-knock warrants, they’re not working for people who look like me,’ ” Burroughs asked.

Burroughs recently took part in a forum discussion hosted by the Minnesota-based Center for Economic Inclusion. At the state Capitol, lawmakers face pressure to adopt more comprehensive police reforms. Leaders from both major political parties acknowledged some bills have passed since Floyd’s death, but advocates argued they lack teeth.

Thomas Harris, Jr., executive vice president and COO of Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, said he recently moved to the area, and had to think hard about whether to do so in the wake of Floyd’s killing.

He contended in the workplace, there needs to be an environment for Black colleagues to feel like they belong.

“They can come to work and be their true authentic self,” Harris explained.

He added in the world of health care, BIPOC workers are trying to respond to the challenges brought on by the pandemic, with the added weight of racial injustice and violence in Black communities.

Meanwhile, Thursday’s verdict follows this week’s conviction of three white men in Georgia, standing trial on hate-crime charges for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.