Speaker Alec Garnett and Black Caucus Chair Leslie Herod release statements on the one year anniversary of the killing of George Floyd
DENVER, CO — House Speaker Alec Garnett and Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado Chair Leslie Herod today released the following statements marking the one year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“George Floyd didn’t ask to become a martyr. He should still be alive today, enjoying a quiet life in anonymity,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “But in the year since his violent murder, a movement was reinvigorated, a fire was sparked, and here in Colorado, we fought for and won a change. Today we mark the anniversary of this tragedy as a reminder to not let our guard down, to not allow the flame of our movement to wane. The work of protecting Black lives, holding law enforcement accountable, and improving police-community relationships is not a one-and-done affair. That’s why I’m so proud that this year we’re working to build on the progress we made with SB 217. On we press.”
“This time last year, as we rose to the moment to pass necessary COVID relief bills to get Colorado through the worst of the pandemic, the killing of George Floyd brought Denver out into the streets to demand change,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “Led by the phenomenal and tireless work of our Black and Latinx caucuses, we passed a bold, sweeping, police accountability reform bill that was the first of its kind in the nation and is now being used as a model for the ongoing federal policy discussions in Washington. George Floyd’s death was tragic and enraging, but it will live on in American history as a breaking point that opened the eyes of many. May he rest in peace.”