On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. His murder was not only inhumane, but it was also captured on video and widely disseminated across social media and traditional news feeds globally, igniting a conversation about police brutality and systemic racism, which we are still having today.
The following protests and calls for comprehensive police reform were coupled with criticism of law enforcement practices, and while surfacing the unaddressed systemic inequities impacting Black and Brown communities.
The murder of George Floyd and other countless lives taken by racism and injustice underscored the deeply rooted racial disparities in various systems, including healthcare. We recognize the intersection of racial justice and health equity in these acts, understanding that systemic racism contributes to prolonged health disparities in Black and Brown communities, such as HIV and AIDS.
George’s murder was not just another murder caught on video. George’s murder ignited legislative changes and increased public conversation about systemic racism and the need for effective police reforms and sustained advocacy. In 2021, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act was introduced to address police misconduct and racial bias in the police force. It sought to enhance accountability through measures such as banning chokeholds and establishing a national registry for police misconduct. While the bill passed the House, it remains in the Senate and has not yet become law.
Additionally, the Department of Justice initiated investigations into police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville, successfully uncovering years of civil rights inequities. Despite the significant progress both these efforts have brought to the civil rights of Black and Brown communities, we’re troubled by what is presently before us. This month, the Trump administration announced the termination of federal oversight agreements with Minneapolis and Louisville police departments, rolling back progress toward racial justice and accountability.
Additionally, the Trump administration signed the executive order, “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing”, which called for the end of DEI-related programs, initiatives, positions, and efforts within the federal government, which has had a devastatingly chilling effect on racial justice efforts, regardless of the sector. The increased fear around engaging in work to advance racial justice, coupled with the increased criminalization of Black communities, is not a coincidence – it is a direct attack on the health and safety of Black communities.
In 2024, AIDS United, alongside our Public Policy Council, launched the Racial Justice Index to evaluate our practices and create actionable roadmaps toward becoming more equitable, reflective, and antiracist organizations.
The structural inequalities and racist systems that led to Floyd’s death by law enforcement are the same systems that are responsible for the high rates of health disparities within Black communities. And if we are serious about ending the HIV epidemic, we must be serious about ending racism.
The RJI is not a remedy, yet it is a proactive response to eradicating the ways that racism and white supremacy impact HIV organizations and the communities they serve. We cannot eliminate racial health disparities without addressing racism – the health and survival of our communities depend on it.
We honor George Floyd’s life by continuing the work in the name of his humanity and the humanity of countless others whose lives have been taken by racism and injustice. We will continue to place racial justice at the core of everything we do and continue to support the work in the sector and the work of HIV advocates to dismantle racist systems and close the gaps in health equity.
