330 days. It’s been 330 days since we witnessed the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Derek Chauvin and yesterday, we were finally presented with the jury’s unanimous decision to convict. The conviction of Derek Chauvin on all three counts of murder and manslaughter does not change the events of the past year nor the collective trauma produced by these heinous acts, but it is a key step forward in our nation’s ongoing racial reckoning. Today, on the 331st day, we acknowledge that this trial and the recent, continued loss of Black lives at the hands of police officers has forced our nation to relive the pain and anguish of this loss. Yesterday’s verdict is an important progression toward accountability – for the police and others. 

Today we have hope for a future in which we will uphold justice and our communities live free of fear. We must continually confront these injustices, dismantle the systems that uphold inequity and perpetuate oppression, and support the structures that hold everyone accountable. We must continue to support our Black and BIPOC friends, colleagues, clients, and community in these unprecedented times and work toward creating a safe and equitable society for all. Our commitment to anti-racism, to fairness, and to justice is our utmost priority and will continue to inform all of the work we do. We invite you to participate alongside us as we share messages of our collective focus on these matters in the future.

Please take care of yourselves and one another.

-The Holistic Team

Resources:

• Resources for the BIPOC Community NAMI - The National Alliance on Mental Illness, Crisis Text line (text HOME to 741741), National Suicide Prevention LifeLine (800).950.TALK, Color of Change,  Sista Afya, Therapy for Black Girls, The Loveland Foundation, BEAM - Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective, Sunshine Behavioral Health on Black Mental Health Issues, Black Mental Wellness, Black Mental Health Alliance, Black Men Heal,  Asian Mental Health Collective, The George Floyd Memorial Foundation & The Trevor Project.  

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Tips for Survivors: coping with grief after community violence

• Resources for Dialogue + Learning: 

  • Webinar:  The Chauvin Verdict: A Psychological, Legal and Societal Reckoning, Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Princeton University

  • TedTalk: TedxRainer Megan Ming Frances - We need to address the real roots of racial violence.  (This is from 2015 but still relevant & a different perspective)

• Instagram accounts to follow for continued education:  @soyouwantotalkaboutit, @justiceforgeorgefloyd, @attnwhitepeople, @attnamericans, @antiracismdaily, @bridgettrfloyd (George’s Sister who leads his memorial foundations) 

• Legislation to continue to demand justice: House-approved George Floyd Justice in Policing Act & here it is from another source.  Petition to demilitarize the police #Justiceforfloyd.