A Year After George Floyd's Death, Calls For Reform Continue

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- George Floyd died on May 25, 2020, after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck during an arrest.

Last month, Chauvin was found guilty in Floyd's death.

It's been a whole year of cries for racial equality and reform.

A year after the death of Floyd the rally call for justice continues to ring out. Those marching on the front lines say they will never stop until there is accountability and reform when it comes to policing.

And there are others, who support Floyd's loved ones because they all now belong to the same family, of losing loved ones at the hands of police.

"We have to mobilize and organize and take ourselves to the streets, to the courthouses, as high as we can go. We have to unify on this," said Kattie Jones.

From Cory Jones' stepmother to the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Daunte Wright and Eric Garner all came to lend support to the Floyd family.

"The pain that I feel that many of the families feel, we don't want that to happen to anybody else and in order to stop that everybody has to say something, everybody has to be active," said Katie Wright.

These mothers say it's time to be on the opposite side of the hashtag and push for federal legislation for preventative measures. They all agree, remembering that nine minutes and 29 second video is not enough. To remember and honor Floyd is to push the issue of reform forward.

Jacari Harris is the executive director of the George Floyd Memorial Foundation.

"Hopefully we can put some sensible reform and policies and laws in place like the George Floyd In Policing Act and just so many other policies there is to bring about a new day, to bring about healing, structure and well-being of the community," said Harris.

From protest to policy, this group says remembering Floyd is about action that leads to change.

WCCO is reflecting on the last year and working to help our community's future. This Friday, all day long, we're hosting a Day of Giving to support a Lake Street organization called Urban Ventures, a group helping to revive the community.