An Anxious Anniversary

“George Floyd should still be alive! Daunte Wright should still be alive! Jamar Clark should still be alive! Terrence Franklin should still be alive! Philando Castile!…” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, an activist who’s been raising her voice since before George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police a year ago today.
This year has seen ups and downs – the spark of social change and the deaths of Daunte Wright, Ma’Khia Bryant, and others at the hands of police *in the midst of a pandemic*. As the Twin Cities honors the anniversary of Floyd’s murder, many still feel the pain of his passing.
Camden Nguyen lives blocks away from 38th & Chicago.
“Sometimes I’ve been dreaming about George Floyd and sometimes I pray for him and I pray that his family is safe and not so sad about when he died. And I pray that every black person is safe in their homes,” said Nguyen.
For police victims’ families, the anniversary is an opportunity to come together to push for justice. Ma’Khia Bryant’s aunt Myra Duke said she finds this moment helpful.
“It’s been healing. And it’s been therapeutic for us because we’ve been able to meet people that have just welcomed us and encouraged us and let us know that we are not in our fight alone.” said Duke.
The remembrance events come in the midst of increased violence in the Twin Cities. Minneapolis resident Greg Coleman said all violence needs to be addressed.
“The loss of life of whether it’s from a cop, whether it’s from another black man, whether it’s from another white man, it’s something that takes a toll on you. I mean, we do have all this big celebration, but also last night, 10 people were shot. // The violence that’s going on in the city, the violence that’s going on overall in America is just ridiculous, whether it comes from the cops, whether it comes from citizens, whether it comes from whatever, we need to figure out something to try to figure out all this anxiety, all this understanding.” said Coleman.
Remembrance events continue through Tuesday evening at George Floyd Square, but people across the world will always remember what happened there.
For the Racial Reckoning Project, I’m Feven Gerezgiher.