A George Floyd Mural is located on the side of Cup Foods, the convenience store located on 38th Street and Chicago Avenue where a clerk called the cops on Floyd for trying to pay with a counterfeit $20 bill.
Saturday marked the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin. Mshale reporter Panashe Matemba-Mutasa compiled this photo essay from the George Floyd Rise Remember celebration, which took place in Minneapolis at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, where Floyd was killed.
Toshira Garraway addresses the crowd at the annual George Floyd Rise and Remember celebration on 38th street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis. “We know that prior to George Floyd’s death, there have been many senseless murders of Black men here in Minnesota. I lost my fiancé [Justin Teigen] to St. Paul police in 2009. As family members of these lost loved ones, we all share a unique pain, but today we are here to celebrate their lives.”Independent journalist Samuel D. Wilson, Jr said that like many in the Black community, George Floyd’s story impacted him deeply. “I am here because I am an activist. [The death of George Floyd] transformed the world. It really exposed the ugliness of racism and police brutality.”
Karen Leonard, hobbyist photographer. “I try to keep up with current events. I have been following the story since it happened. This event affected our community in a really big way, so I think it’s important to document stuff like this.”Melissa Straton (right) with her friend Alicia Judy. “I’m here because this is something that people need to honor. As a white female I feel it’s important for me to be here as an ally,” Judy said.Tawanda Burns is a community member who said she believes there is power in people gathering. “This celebration is a great way to bring people closer together after a difficult two years.”Amelia Burns, a traveling freelance photographer, offered free portrait sessions to event attendees. “I was in town, and I knew there would be people here. This is an important event, and I’m just here to offer my skills to anyone who’s interested.”Members of Brass Solidarity, a street music project that allows brass and percussion players to freely join based on interest, plays in the streets in George Floyd Square.A George Floyd Mural is located on the side of Cup Foods (CQ), the convenience store located on 38th Street and Chicago Avenue (CQ) where a clerk called the cops on Floyd for trying to pay with a counterfeit $20 bill.Kenny Foote (right) with friends Joe Bradford (center) and Mike Prison. Foote is a community member who is passionate about addressing issues of racism in the area. “I’m here in remembrance because racism is rampant in our community. I just want everyone to be equal no matter the color of their skin or where they came from,” Foote said.The George Floyd Memorial site was decorated with candles, flowers, and posters created by community members.The George Floyd Square Memorial features a Black Lives Matter fist and the Pan-African flag.Chandra Berry sits outside Cup Foods, the store near where Floyd was killed. For Berry, this day is especially important. “When I watched it for the first time on television, I couldn’t believe what I saw. I thought it wasn’t real. To watch a man murdered by another man is scary, and as a mother of an African son, these kinds of things hit you in a different way.”Twin Cities Recovery Project CEO LaTricia Tate has organized multiple initiatives in the community since the murder of George Floyd in 2020. “I’ve been on the ground since Day 1, collaborating with local organizations and providing support for members of our community. We started the George Floyd Ride for Justice bike club, where we raised awareness and collected donations to support the cause. This celebration is like all of our efforts coming full circle.”The community observes performance by Heart and Soul Drum Academy, a nonprofit that offers Djembe hand drum classes to children ages 3-17 in St. Paul’s Rondo Community.Cup Foods the store outside of which Floyd was murdered, is decorated with flowers, posters, and handmade gifts.Lakesia Aycock is a friend of the family of Amir Locke, the 22-year-old killed by Minneapolis Police SWAT team officers during a pre-dawn no-knock raid on Feb. 2. Being so close to the family, Aycock said the issue of police brutality is personal. She is now a community leader at Divine Legacy, which offers adult rehabilitative mental health services. “That time [of George Floyd’s death] was so dark for all of us. We all felt it. People’s mental health took a toll. I have been offering healing and therapy sessions for those who need it.”Loryn Baker, a shopper at Shipt, admitted to being oblivious to racial issues prior to the murder of George Floyd. “I was one of the people who was complaining about the riots, and it wasn’t until a friend of mine educated me that I changed my perspective. The bodies matter more than the buildings. I grew up in a very white town and for years was not in the know about the realities of police brutality toward people of color. But now I strive to continue to educate myself and others. It has been life-changing for me.”
Panashe is a general assignments reporter. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and a UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Class of 2025.
Panashe is a general assignments reporter. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and a UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Class of 2025.
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