Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Statement on the One Year Anniversary of George Floyd’s Death  

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (May 25, 2021)—Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr. has released the following statement marking the one-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd, who died while being apprehended by police in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020.

“One year ago today, the death of George Floyd at the hands of police sent a shock wave through our country that unfortunately, for many communities like Atlantic City, and for many people of color, was sadly not that shocking. In Atlantic City, where many of our young men have suffered the terrible inequities of our criminal justice system and where many of us could see ourselves in George Floyd, the tragedy of his death was particularly painful. In Atlantic City, our community faced this trauma as we always do, with resilience and integrity, and by coming together for positive change. Together, we channeled our grief, fear and anger into positive energy to keep moving our own community forward.

“We cannot take our foot off the pedal. We cannot think that one guilty verdict has solved generations of oppression and social justice. In the fight for social justice, we must be vigilant. In Atlantic City, we are doing our part to make sure everything we do is focused on lifting up and empowering our people and creating opportunity. We are making sure our leaders, elected and unelected, at every level, are committed to equality and justice, and that we remain united in this effort. In Atlantic City, we like to say that every day is a great day in Atlantic City. In this community we know that greatness is not always about good times. Sometimes greatness is in our ability to withstand and triumph over adversity and tragedy. Today is a day to reflect upon the work we have to do. I wish to extend my continued condolences to George Floyd’s family.”