Posted April 20, 2021 by Sheri Edwards America

Day 403 Relief

Relief
We breathe in relief;
Still, we ponder next steps so
we all grow and bloom.
Sheri Edwards
042021 11036521
Poetry/Photography

Daily Note

Every day, a photograph, a poem.

Today, we breathe a sigh of relief.

Accountability happened.

It does not bring back George Floyd for his family, but it does the actions taken by one man were wrong.

I agree with my friend Joy, who tweeted:

I truly hope we are on our way to a more just America. I’ll do what I can in the classroom and keep the conversations going. https://t.co/dhEoqMolPR #BLM
— Joy Kirr (she/her) (@JoyKirr) April 20, 2021

We do what we can, and that means we cannot ever remain silent on true injustice. Her tweet takes you to William Ferriter’s blog post about why, as a teacher, he does not stay silent on these issues. It’s worth a read, more than once: When Teachers Are Silent.

And LearnForJustice shared possible resources for teachers in discussing the issue of racism in the United States. Click for the resources:

Today, Derek Chauvin was found guilty. But our legal system is still far from just, and students may still feel a lack of closure. We hope you’ll reaffirm the value of Black lives and create space for students to process. These resources can help.https://t.co/xWgDeOo2la
— Learning for Justice (@learnforjustice) April 20, 2021

So, yes– we breath relief that finally the “system” spoke the truth. But take care that the next goblins will be out with misinformation– learn how to deal with misinformation from this thread by MediaWise:

The verdict is in for the #DerekChauvinTrial: The jury found the Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd guilty on all three charges. That’s a fact. But many high-profile racially-charged events lead to disinformation spreading across your social feeds. https://t.co/h2iuU9nSHJ
— MediaWise (@mediawise) April 20, 2021

A relief. Breathe. But the work must go on:

That a family had to lose a son, brother and father; that a teenage girl had to film and post a murder, that millions across the country had to organize and march just for George Floyd to be seen and valued is not justice.

And this verdict is not a substitute for policy change. https://t.co/tiDkhl9Dk4
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 20, 2021

Today, a jury did the right thing. But true justice requires much more. Michelle and I send our prayers to the Floyd family, and we stand with all those who are committed to guaranteeing every American the full measure of justice that George and so many others have been denied. pic.twitter.com/mihZQHqACV
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 20, 2021

I share these because it’s so difficult to express the frustration that in 2021 we, in the United States, still do not honor the lives of all people. This cannot be the fate of humanity– because truly, we are one people on a planet that needs all of us working together to solve serious problems in our world so we all grow and bloom and thrive.

So, yes. Relief. Breathe. We still have work to do.

I'm not celebrating. It's hard to celebrate simply not being let down again. But I am relieved. #ChauvinIsGuilty, the work continues. #BlackLivesMatter
— Jac Archer (@JacDArcher) April 20, 2021