Today marks one year since George Floyd was murdered under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. To remember him and protest racism and police brutality, hospital staff gathered outside UPMC Presbyterian in Oakland and knelt in silence.
Doctors kneel outside of UPMC Presbyterian for eight minutes and forty six seconds as a way to remember the death of George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/zpTF4DK9GT
— Jason Phox (@JasonPhox) May 25, 2021
The medical workers took a knee for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, representing how long former police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd. University of Pittsburgh emergency medicine professor Dr. Rickquel Tripp said more progress toward racial justice is needed.
“There's still much more to go. But I do think, as you can see … we really stood in unity and kneeled together,” Tripp said. “So I think that was definitely a good testament that we are having some progress.”
She said the medical community has a role in addressing racism, especially in health care, adding that with state Rep. Ed Gainey poised to become Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor, the city does appear to be taking a big step toward racial equity.
