In the wake of Mr. Floyd’s murder, citizens of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN and other cities across the country are expressing outrage as they suffer yet another loss of life and a collective trauma, having witnessed another episode of indifference to human life. The National Hispanic Council on Aging expresses our sorrow, outrage and support. The very color of one’s skin should not amount to a barrier to aging; but unfortunately, for many in the United States it does!

We urge governments, local and national to take swift action to bring justice to the Floyd and Taylor families. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., from his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, “justice too long delayed is justice denied.” Do not continue to deny us justice!

Communities of color are justifiably angry. Do not use this anger and outrage as a smokescreen to delay or deny justice yet again. The protests that are occurring across the nation are a reflection of the broken hearts of Americans, as they again witness the disposable way in which the police, the incarceration system and our governments treat our black and brown citizens. Our pain and trauma are compounded; rooted in history and passed down through generations. The outrage expressed on the streets of the United States is not just in response to the murders of Mr. Floyd and Ms. Taylor, nor just to the incidents of policing people of color engaging in everyday activities; this outrage stems from the long sordid history of racism and inequity that this country was founded on.

Nothing will bring back Mr. Floyd or Ms. Taylor or the multitude of other Blacks, Latinos, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Asians who have been murdered by the police. But now is the time to fight for solutions. In the absence of institutions that provide liberty and safety for its most vulnerable citizens, NHCOA remains committed to fighting for long-term solutions to ensure that all people can age with dignity and in safety. NHCOA pledges to continue the fight for living wages, affordable housing, accessible and affordable healthcare, elected officials who are responsive to and prioritize people over profits and politics, alternatives to mass incarceration and criminalization and fair and just immigration policies. As always, NHCOA follows the lead of the people and communities most impacted by the systems weighted against them. Our people and communities are the experts in their own lived experiences and they are the visionaries who can help us attain a just and equitable world.

NHCOA urges the Minneapolis prosecutor to charge and arrest Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng, the accomplices to the murder of Mr. Floyd. We also urge for the swift and competent prosecution of Derek Chauvin. We urge mayors and governors across the United States, as well as the President of the United States, to stand together and declare that the murder of Black and Brown people by police is appalling and will not be tolerated in this country!