On Tuesday, April 20, 2021, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was declared guilty and charged with the wrongful murder of George Floyd. He has been charged with an account of second-degree murder, an account of third-degree murder and an account of second-degree manslaughter.

George Perry Floyd Jr.’s death had been ruled a “fentanyl overdose” as of last May in 2020 after Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for over nine minutes. Floyd repeated the phrase ,“I can’t breathe,” and Chauvin did not listen.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, George Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, is quoted as saying following the verdict, “Today, we are able to breathe again.”

It is currently being reported that Chauvin will potentially face upwards of 12 years in jail, though depending on the sentence, he could face as high as 30 years in total as well. This sentencing will be announced in roughly eight weeks from this momentous week.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also quoted Darnella Frazier, who was the young teenage girl that recorded the death, as saying that “(she) just cried so hard. . .This last hour my heart was beating so fast, I was so anxious, anxiety bussing through the roof. But to know GUILTY ON ALL 3 CHARGES !!! THANK YOU GOD THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. . . George Floyd we did it!! Justice has been served.”

Our hearts were right there with hers, beating fast as we waited and finally heard the good news of Chauvin’s guilty verdict being announced.

President Joe Biden released a statement that referred to this as a “moment of significant change.”

“No one should be above the law, and today’s verdict sends that message,” he said in a speech from the White House. “But it’s not enough. It can’t stop here. In order to deliver real change and reform, we can and we must do more to reduce the likelihood that tragedies like this will ever happen again.”

Vice President Kamala Harris said, “A measure of justice isn’t the same as equal justice.”

The House Speaker Nancy Pelosi faced some backlash with her comments when she came out and stated, “Thank you, George Floyd, for sacrificing your life for justice.”

George Floyd did not willingly or knowingly sacrifice his life for this. He was murdered, and he was murdered wrongly by Derek Chauvin.

This is a great moment; this is something that will be remembered, but it is only the beginning. There are so many injustices and wrongs that the system has to and needs to answer for. In moments like this, this is a win and a moment of healing, but there is so much more that needs to happen.

Remember Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Daunte Wright. Say their names. We must seek justice and peace. Take this win, take this moment of healing and use it to move forward for those who deserve it most of all. Black lives matter.