President Javalera Statement on the Police Killing of Tyre Nichols

The SEIU6 family grieves in solidarity with the family and community of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old father, son, worker, photographer, and skater who was beaten to death by members of the Memphis police in January 2023. For many SEIU6 members, Tyre looked like us, our family members, our coworkers, and our loved ones.

Tyre’s murder is yet another example of how far systems of white supremacy and structural racism reach into our country, too easily corrupting those who are paid to keep us safe. We are beyond tired of seeing how these systems enact violence and death on Black and brown people, traumatizing families, and stealing futures.

We are well past a point where systemic racism can be denied or ignored. We must act. It is our moral obligation to make structural changes to end centuries of anti-Black racism, and to create a future where all of us—and our children—are valued and safe.

—SEIU6 President Zenia Javalera