Tammy Exum

Like many of you, I am horrified by the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minnesota. While it is a positive step that one of the police officers involved in the incident is now himself in custody, justice can only exist when incidents like this end.

For far too long, trust between communities of color - particularly the black community - and police has been low. While the majority of police officers are dedicated protectors of our cities and towns, we have seen too many examples over the years of unarmed African-Americans subjected to police brutality and racial targeting.

"All men are created equal." Our country has never fully lived up to that ideal. Progress towards that seemingly distant goal hasn't been easy, and countless women and men have worked to force our society to address the same issues we face today. We have come far, but not far enough. It is time that all Americans must acknowledge the reality of racial inequality and demand that our leaders and laws meet the standard that those powerful words established.

As the state representative of the 19th District, I promise to continue to search for solutions and be an active participant in the conversations around these issues going forward.