04/23/2021
Rutgers Anthropology Equity and Inclusion Committee Statement on the Conviction of Derek Chauvin
On April 20, 2021, a jury found Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer, guilty on three counts of murder and manslaughter. The stark reality is that the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was not an anomaly and that this country has witnessed so many other trials acquitting offenders of anti-Black violence--particularly police officers. Far from closing a chapter on a dreadful legacy of anti-Black racism and violence, we must acknowledge that nothing fundamental has changed. We must seek out, illuminate, and dismantle the structures which render BIPOC individuals vulnerable. Our work continues.
While the decision in this trial cannot possibly account for the immense pain caused by the loss of George Floyd, we hope that it provided some relief to his bereaved family and friends, as well as to those who have shown great courage in testifying to the horrific murder that they witnessed. We feel cautious optimism. Cautious, because we are well aware that many live in fear of racist violence--a fear that has been validated even in the past few weeks and days with the tragic killings of Daunte Wright, Alex Toledo, and Ma’Khia Bryant. We also acknowledge that these instances of physical violence merely compound the constant structural violence experienced on a daily basis.
The Anthropology Equity and Inclusion Committee works to invest in tangible and sustainable actions to address and contest the ways in which systemic racism results in a cumulative disadvantage to certain groups in relation to others, both within the discipline of Anthropology and beyond. We also strive to be a safe and supportive community for our fellow graduate students and are here to provide support in any way we can. Along with this, we intend to send out a list of support resources and ways to take action in and around Rutgers University.
