Visiting Minneapolis

Minneapolis has been referred to as ground zero, which is defined as the center or origin of rapid activity or change, for this generation’s call to action for social justice.

Many people have been motivated against injustice before by the many high-profile, race-related incidents across the country in recent years. But the visual, real-time killing of an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, by Minneapolis law enforcement officers felt different and incited a range of reactions from people across the world.

This location carries with it an indelible image that evokes an emotional response to trauma. Minneapolis is this generation’s Rosewood, Selma and Tulsa, holding a place among those other cities where its Black residents experienced traumatic historical events — places where national pleas for racial justice were birthed.

A visit to this ground zero at George Floyd Square will yield varying responses. For some, their spine may tingle. Some may cry silently; others aloud. Some may need a hug or the company of others. Others will seek solitude. We may need a minute or an hour. We may need to talk to someone who reminds us that humanity still exists. But everyone shares the right to honor their personal feelings and emotions while standing at this spot in the manner they see fit.

While George Floyd Square is a memorial of trauma, it also can be the starting point for conversation or a catalyst for action. We don’t have to be paralyzed by fear and anger. Instead we can be propelled to help accelerate progress. Whether individually or collectively, we can be intentional about what happens from being here and use this site as the center or origin of action that leads to sustained change … a ground zero for transformation.