Yesterday was an important day in the fight for racial injustice to end across the nation. Derek Chauvin was convicted on all three charges for the murder of George Floyd, having his bond revoked and settling into his new home in jail before his sentencing trial begins in eight weeks.
The jury's decision has been celebrated by thousands as artists and entertainers were quick to react on social media. While Chauvin is being held accountable for his horrific actions, there remains a lot of work to be done for justice to actually be achieved. 50 Cent commented on the jury's verdict, pointing out that this decision shows progress and that it will hopefully provoke police officers to think before acting out of line.
"Yeah finally some kinda progress," wrote Fiddy on Instagram, sharing a black square with the word "Guilty" written inside. "This will make some of them think before they do sh*t."
Earlier on Wednesday morning, Derek Chauvin's new mugshot surfaced online, showing the former cop looking disheveled as he was placed back in custody. While this moment is a bittersweet one in the case of George Floyd, not even a half-day passed before another Black person was killed by police. 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant was shot and killed in Columbus, Ohio after she called the police on a group of "reported females" that was "trying to stab them." She was shot in the chest four times.
Rest in peace, George Floyd. Rest in peace, Ma'Khia Bryant.