Recognizing Racial Injustices

KIMT News 3's Isabella Basco is taking a closer look at the changes businesses are making and why this cultural shift is happening now

I'm katie lange.

The out rage over george floyd's death at the hands of minneapolis police is propelling the black lives matter movement forward.

In this half hour ?

"* lawmakers agree policing needs to change... but when it comes to how much ?

"* they don't see eye to eye.

The latest developments from capitol hill.

And conversations of race are reaching grocery shelves and beyond.

The cultural shockwaves rippling through businesses across the today ?

"* the rochester public library voted to make a stronger statement about being anti?

"*racist and to sign a commitment letter with other non?

"* profits that addresses a call to action for racial justice.

A racial reckoning is happening across the nation.

Kimt news 3's isabella basco is taking a closer look.

Xxx <nats > as protesters demand an end to racial injustices... major corporations are taking a look in the mirror and changing their image.

Quaker oats is retiring the aunt jemima brand and logo ?

"* recognizing it's based on a racial stereotype history instructor chad israelson says it's been a long time coming.

"it's rather embarrassing it has taken this amount of time to address some of these things."

Rochester public library director audrey betcher doesn't mince words when it comes to the library's past.

"the library has had a long history.

Some of it has been racist.

The libraries across this whole country were segregated for a long time."

In the past people of color were disproportiona lly impacted by libraries being closed on the weekends... and overdue fines.

But r?

"*p?

"*l addressed those issues with fine forgiveness and better hours.

Israelson explains why it has taken us this long to address racial inequities ?

"* injustices ?

"* and stereotypes.

"some of these arguments wouldn't have necessarily made sense in 1950 keeping in mind there was a good chunk of the country where it was legal to discriminate against people at that time."

Israelson says in history, every movement isn't caused by one event instead it's a spark that ignites it.

That's what the death of george floyd is doing: bringing awareness to these issues.

"the killing of archduke ferdinand for example.

There were all sorts of reasons why world war i happened, that's the spark that ignited it.

So george floyd's murder is the spark that ignites these things but the conditions were already there."

Betcher believes in order for society to recognize its injustices ?

"* we might hae to break everything the rochester public library is also taking a look at their policies and practices to hold themselves accountable