Members of the Iowa House Black Caucus expressed both relief and resolve after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. Representative Ras Smith, a Democrat from Waterloo, says the case shows the truth behind the fight for equity for Blacks in America.

Representative Ako Abdul-Samad, a Democrat from Des Moines, says the struggle for systemic change must continue. Representative Ross Wilburn, a Democrat from Ames, says while thankful for the jury’s decision, one verdict doesn’t make up for the preventable violence and systemic racism that continue to plague communities of color across the country. Wilburn, who is also chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, says Iowans cannot be silent or ignore the ongoing need for criminal justice reform.