Local community members say justice is served for George Floyd’s family but the work continues

SEASIDE, Calif. (KION) Local community activists and members feel that justice has been served for George Floyd's family but more needs to be done.

Alade Djehuti-Mes, whose father was killed in a officer-involved shooting in 1998 believes that communities need to continue to ensure that officer-involved shootings don't continue to happen.

Excitement, shock, and awe. These are feelings that community activity Nathaniel Sawyer says he felt upon hearing the guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin.

Sawyer brought along activists from all walks of life to express the need for solidarity in these pressing times because for him, injustice not only affects George Floyd but affects everyone.

"We as in the Black and Brown community, the Asian community, even the White community now have been saying we need justice, we need change and Derek Chauvin's trail is an example of that change that we are desparately crying for," says Sawyer.

For Seaside's Police Chief, Abdul Pridgen, He says that accountability was necessary and is one steptowards bridging a gap between police and the community.

"It's also necessary for us to continue to build trust in communities where there's an absence of trust and I think this will go a step further in that direction," says Pridgen.

As someone who has had the first-hand experience of having a loved one die at the hands of police, Djehuti-Mes knows the pain and grief that continues after shootings like this but feels that this guilty verdict alone will not solve police brutality.

"It's really important for accountability and I think for America to understand that we are headed in the right direction," says Djehuti-Mes.

The NAACP in Santa Cruz is planning to have a commemoration event for George Floyd in late May.