Yesterday, we watched the funeral of George Floyd, a 46-year old black man who, before May 25, 2020, very few of us even knew existed. Yet, only a week later, his 6-year old daughter, Gianna, proudly said “Daddy changed the world.” And she was right.

 

Whatever our race, background or zip code, we want our families to be whole and our communities to be vibrant, and we ALL want to move through our communities without fearing for our lives or our loved ones. But time and again, we have witnessed evidence of horrors committed against black people in America by police in cities and on back roads, in living rooms and on neighborhood streets.

 

I stand up now to help bring about a more just society, including extensive law enforcement reforms, expanded training in every department in America, and a culture of accountability where every officer is obligated not just to treat citizens with respect but to report their fellow officers who fail to do so. 

 

I commend the San Mateo Police Department and recognize their commitment to live up to their mission to “Protect with Honor/Serve with Pride,” and their desire to work with our community to build partnerships and provide support. As a member of the San Mateo Neighborhood Watch Board, I have heard many stories of police officers who have gone above and beyond to help a family in need or risked their own lives to protect the lives of others. To these officers, what happened to George Floyd is horrific. But it will be important not just to speak those words, but also to follow them up with honest community discussion and concrete, measurable progress toward racial justice to show Gianna that her “daddy changed the world.”

 

I stand with any San Matean who is willing to imagine a different world, including
changes to themselves, and who will do the hard work every day to turn the hope of racial justice into a reality that is reflected in every aspect of life.

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Count me in. Let’s not lose this moment.