The Americans commemorate the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s death on Sunday, a moment that once lit a worldwide counting on race and police activities. Floyd, a 46 -year -old black man, was killed on May 25, 2020, when a police officer White Minneapolis Derek Chauvin stung his neck for more than nine minutes. Graphic shots of arrest, captured by passers-by, caused a historical wave of protests throughout the US and abroad during the Covid-19 pandemic.
George Perry Floyd Jr., whose last moments under the knee of the police officer Minneapolis were captured in a video that shook the world, was many things before becoming a global symbol for racial justice and police reform. He was a father, a mentor, a former athlete and a man who tried – imperfectly and seriously – to overcome his past and transform his future.
A modest start in Houston
Floyd was born in North Carolina in 1973 and moved to Houston at the age of two with his mother, the “cissy” Floyd, one parent who was looking for better opportunities. They settled in Cuney Homes, a public housing project in the heart of the third department of Houston – a community with deep black roots and persistent poverty.
Known as “Big Floyd” for his towering frame 6 feet 7, grew up in the middle of problems, but carried dreams much larger than its surroundings. As a child, he once wrote that he wanted to be a judge of the Supreme Court. Later he became a star athlete at Jack Yates High School, played at the Texas State Football Championship and won a partial scholarship to play basketball at South Florida State College.
Talent, trouble and transformation
Floyd early maturity was marked by instability. After jumping between universities, he returned to Houston and tried to find a permanent job. Between 1997 and 2005 he was arrested several times for drug and theft fees. In 2009 he confessed to the armed robbery and served for almost five years in prison.
However, its release in 2013 meant a turning point. Floyd joined the pastors and Christian rap artists and worked with ministries in the Cuney Homes community to help others turn the mistakes he made. He helped organize community events, supply food and even baptize new believers in temporary bathtubs on neighboring basketball courts.
“He was like a superhero,” said Cal Wayne, a local rapper and a childhood friend. “He always had time for us.”
A new chapter in Minneapolis
In finding a new beginning, Floyd moved to Minneapolis in 2014 through a church program to help men restore their lives. He worked there, first worked in security tasks, first in the port center of the Salvation Army and later in the popular nightclub. Friends described him as kind, respectful and deeply protecting others.
Even after his movement, Floyd remained tied to Houston. He visited often, returned to community events and took care of the people who helped him raise him. At the time of his death, he was unemployed for the Covid-19 pandemic and hoped he would return home for years.
May 25, 2020
In the Memorial Day 2020, Floyd’s business official accused the use of a counterfeit $ 20, led to a police meeting that ended in tragedy. Officer of Dereka Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes caused global outrage, set fire protests and required racial justice in all 50 US states outside.
Memorial and Reflection on George Floyd Square
This weekend mourns gathered on George Floyd in Minneapolis – where Floyd took a breath. Dozens have now visited an iconic intersection decorated with protest art and flowers. The mural reading “You changed the world, George” remains the central part of the memorial.
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The family urges a continuing fight
At the commemorative event Floyd’s family members urged the Americans not to be discouraged by the current political climate.
“We don’t need a powerful order to tell us that Black Lives Matter,” said his aunt Angela Harrelson, wearing a Floyd’s T -shirt. “We can’t afford to be an obstacle for a big comeback. Donald Trump just didn’t get a note.”
Cousin Paris Stevens added, “No one can silence us anymore.”
This year’s Memorial Theme – “People spoke” – was inspired by the visit of the grandson of Nelson Mandela Nkosi Mandela, Harrelson said. It reflects five years of permanent activism.
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