Governor Kate Brown Issues Statement on Derek Chauvin Verdict

Statement

Governor Kate Brown issued the following statement today:

"George Floyd's life mattered. His death, at the hands of Derek Chauvin, shook our nation to its core. My thoughts are with his family today.

"Thousands of people last year, including here in Oregon, took to the streets to raise their voices in a clarion call for racial justice and police reform. A call for an America where Black Lives Matter.

"Today's verdict is one step towards that goal. But it is only a single step toward police accountability. It is also a reminder of how much work we have left to do. We will dismantle the structures of racism and inequality in this country just as they were built, brick by brick.

"As a nation, we grieve for the life of George Floyd. And we will honor his memory by continuing to do the hard work to increase police accountability in this country. As we have seen in the last year, that process is not easy and change will not come overnight.

"The path to a more just and equitable Oregon begins with understanding. Understanding our state and our nation's deeply racist history, and resolving to work together to build a better future for this generation and those to come."

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