INDIANAPOLIS — Memorials for George Floyd took place across the country Tuesday to mark one year since he was killed by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
In the past year, many police departments, including the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, vowed to be more just and transparent in the way they police our communities. However, the work for activists continue, not only through protesting, but also from the pulpit.
The Episcopal Church held a virtual memorial to mark the somber anniversary. Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, helped make it happen.
"What we believe is that our faith matters to every corner of our lives," Baskerville-Burrows said.
She believes it's going to take everyone to move our country forward when it comes to issues like systemic racism.
"It's actually part of our faith imperative to dismantle systemic oppression, racism, and bias," Bakerville-Burrows said. "We do workshops on it. We study it. We talk about what it means for us as individuals and what we can do to improve our society for our everybody."
Last summer during the protests, Episcopalians were marching and leading prayer vigils, doing what they felt their faith compelled them to do during that tough time in our city and country.
"It is a love that we gather to commemorate and to command to almighty God the soul of George Floyd and all those who have died," Baskerville-Burrows said"
The church's virtual memorial honored George Floyd and several others whose names were in the headlines this past year: Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, people who Baskerville-Burrows said were victims of system that our country can leave behind.
"This is who we are but it doesn't have to be who we remain and that we're called, each of us in our own way, to be about the action that will continue to help dismantle systemic injustice and racism," she said.
Since last August, IMPD has equipped most of its officers with body cameras. The department also put into writing a policy banning choke holds which were already not allowed.
