Today, a jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of all murder charges for his actions in killing George Floyd.
President & CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health Dr. Jamila Perritt responds:
“Today’s verdict reflects accountability but, make no mistake, there is no justice here. We honor, hold space, and collectively grieve the stolen life of George Floyd, and recognize his death as part of a larger system grounded in the carceral frameworks and white supremacy values that allow this violence to happen. Without dismantling these systems, we will continue to see these circumstances play out again and again.
“I bring many identities with me in my work as an ob/gyn and advocate for reproductive health, rights, and justice. The community of physician advocates I work alongside do the same. And as we carry the heavy reality that many of us and the communities we care for are not safe, we dream for a future where our patients, our families, and our communities can thrive.
We dream for a future where our patients, our families, and our communities can thrive.
“This is a critical moment in our history where we as health care providers, as neighbors, as community members, must begin to undo the legacies of white supremacy, violence, destruction, and hate on which our country was built, and that includes a future where our police and carceral systems are divested from and dismantled. Black lives matter. Black health matters. There is so much to do for our systems and structures, including the medical system, to reflect this premise.
“Until Black lives are safe, until Brown lives are safe, until we are all safe, we have work to do.”