Twenty-five-year-old Yalakesen Baaheth felt a mix of emotions Tuesday as news reports came in about former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdicts. Chauvin was convicted of the unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter of George Floyd, after he detained Floyd and knelt on his neck for over nine minutes last May. Baaheth, a Southeast Texan who is pursuing a career in audiology, says she doesn’t believe racism will go away in her lifetime. Still, she’s confident her generation is poised to make systemic changes in media, government education and more to prevent deaths like that of Floyd’s.
“Many men in my family have been abused by the people that, you know, took a vow and they were supposed to protect us and protect them, but instead they were harassed and clowned on.”
Yalakesen Baaheth. Courtesy photo
“That’s why this is just so close to my heart, because if something bad went wrong, I most likely wouldn’t have been there.”
“It’s not over. This is just the beginning of a very long process.”
