"Fellow Philadelphians,

In the coming days, a verdict will be rendered in the criminal case against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with the murder of George Floyd. The decision will be reached almost one year after Mr. Floyd was killed on the ground under the knee of an officer sworn to protect and serve.

Mr. Floyd’s killing was a tipping point for Black and Brown people and entire communities who have felt a life sentence of pain, fear, anger, and distrust for generations. It caused outrage, and in some instances, violence, by people desperate to be heard and understood.

Waiting for the verdict is not the hardest part. It’s knowing that a life has been taken too soon and how unjustly Black and Brown people in this country are treated by law enforcement. It’s knowing that regardless of what the jury decides, the judgment rendered will retraumatize the victimized and remind us of the compounding effects of centuries of inequities and systemic racism that have brought us to this moment. It’s knowing that outrage may be felt once again."

Please read Mayor Kenney's full letter to Philadelphians below and join us for a community healing circle happening over the next three weeks to provide safe spaces for neighbors to come together in solidarity, the first of which you can register for online.