A year after George Floyd’s murder, what’s changed in Washington state? Last year’s Black Lives Matter protests fueled major actions on police accountability, tax reform and environmental justice. But no one thinks the work is done. by Sakara Remmu, the lead strategist of the Washington Black Lives Matter Alliance, in Seattle on May 20, 2021. Remmu said several major pieces of legislation wouldn't have passed if it weren't for citizen advocacy and last year's Black Lives Matter protests. (Dorothy Edwards/Crosscut) When George Floyd called for his mother with his dying breaths, the police officers holding him down didn’t seem to notice — but the rest of the world heard him loud and clear.