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April 2021 Update: Statement on the Derek Chauvin Trial Verdict

It’s a very sad time in our country’s history, and we as a museum community are aching.

The Derek Chauvin trial is at the top of all our minds; with a guilty verdict on all three counts for George Floyd’s murder, we can pause for a moment and feel a sense of relief, knowing Chauvin will be held accountable.

Unfortunately, we know that there is still much work to be done. We are still confronted with the devasting reality of police violence targeting Black and Brown Americans. The recent deaths of Daunte Wright in Minneapolis and Adam Toledo in Chicago are heartbreaking.

Adding to the violence, we have seen hate crimes committed against our Asian American and Pacific Islander community. The mass shootings in Atlanta and Indianapolis and the continued physical assaults on AAPI individuals in the Bay Area and throughout the nation are appalling. The daily onslaught of nationwide gun violence only deepens the pain of this moment.

SFMOMA has zero tolerance for racism in any form. Discrimination has no place within our walls.

As we continue this journey, we hope to leverage the passion behind our work to fuel unity, use art to illuminate the natural empathy in humanity, and center inclusiveness by celebrating the diverse voices of our community.

We stand with our colleagues, artists, and community members who’ve experienced pain stemming from these recent tragedies and urge us all to remain strong and hopeful that we will get through this together.