A rally was held in Garden City on Saturday a few days before the first anniversary of George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted on second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter last month.

Residents gathered on Old Country Road in honor of Floyd. Participants say Chauvin's conviction is one step toward the justice they are fighting for.

However, many people at the gathering say they believe rallies are still necessary until changes are made across the country and close to home.

"Today is two reasons, one to memorialize George Floyd's death. The second is also to talk about the need for real police reform. As we just saw with the attorney general of the state of New York, there's a need for real reform accountability, transparency in policing," says Fred Brewington, of the Long Island Advocates for Police Accountability. "That does not exist. It certainly doesn't exist here Nassau County, it doesn't exist in Suffolk County, and we're hoping that those police forces can bring themselves into the 21st century."

Participants at the rally also called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to withhold funding to the police department if changes and reforms are not made.

Events were also held in Wyandanch and West Babylon to pay tribute to George Floyd.

President Joe Biden will host Floyd's family at the White House next week on the anniversary of his death.

Biden first met with the Floyd family last year in June when he traveled to Houston to offer condolences ahead of Floyd's funeral.

Last month, the president also spoke with Floyd's brother after a jury convicted Chauvin in his death.

This latest visit comes as lawmakers are expected to miss the president's initial May 25 deadline for passing a bipartisan police reform bill.