Residents, activists, and community leaders gathered on Nov. 6 to discuss the future of George Floyd Square. The meeting, supported by the Community Visioning Council, took place amid an ongoing debate about the city’s redevelopment plans for the memorial site, which has become a focal point of both local and national movements for racial justice.
The town hall was a spirited occasion fueled by a commitment to ensure that the redevelopment of George Floyd Square reflects the community’s needs and values. The discussion went beyond physical infrastructure and street construction as residents addressed the profound legacy of trauma, economic injustice, and systemic racism that continues to shape the lives of people in this area.
Dr. Raj Sethuraju, a longtime activist and professor at Metro State University in St. Paul, opened the meeting with a moment of reflection, urging attendees to “check in with themselves” and “connect with the values that humanize our struggle.”
Elder Atum Azzahir, founder of the Cultural Wellness Center, asked attendees to call out and honor the names of those who have passed unjustly. She reminded all that the murder of George Floyd was not only an individual tragedy, but part of a historical fight for justice.
“The ancestors give us, you and I, the amazing capacity to remember. We must remember. We are remembering — and that remembering is giving us the capacity to do, to say, and be accountable. For that, we are grateful,” Azzahir said. Her invocation set the tone for the remainder of the meeting as one of reflection and determination.
Community vision
The community’s expectations were clear. Jeanelle Austin, lead organizer of the event, noted that the city’s plans to rebuild the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue haven’t aligned with the 24 demands that the community created in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. These demands focus not on physical infrastructure but on accountability, housing, economic justice, and health care.
About half of those demands still are unmet, including:
- Fire the following employees of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension: Superintendent Drew Evans, Deputy Superintendent of Minnesota Justice Information Services Dana Gotz, Deputy Superintendent of Investigative Services Jeff Hansen, and Deputy Superintendent of Forensic Science Services Catherine Knutson.
- Establish an independent investigation and prosecution of Minneapolis law enforcement by Gov. Tim Walz.
- Require law enforcement officers to maintain private, professional liability insurance.
- Ban the indemnification of law enforcement officers.
- End qualified immunity.
- Adopt and implement the 2019 Livability and Safety Platform Proposal submitted by the South Minneapolis Public Safety Coalition to the City Council.
- Allocate funds for integrative health services to support residents of the George Floyd Square Zone through the ReCAST grant managed by the Division of Race & Equity.
- Establish a moratorium on property tax increases for residents of the George Floyd Square Zone for two years.
- Include a rent-to-own option in new housing construction.
- Gift 612-MASH a blood bank bus or a coach bus to continue to care for anyone who enters the memorial site during winter months.
- Open and complete an investigation of the murder of Dameon “Murphy Ranks” Chambers.
The city’s proposal
The conversation quickly turned to the city’s proposed development plan, which includes greening initiatives, wider sidewalks, lighting improvements, and traffic circle installations.
While city officials tout these plans as steps toward revitalizing the area, community members expressed concern that these changes are not enough to address the systemic issues that contributed to George Floyd’s death in the first place.
In one particularly poignant moment, Austin questioned why the city prioritized street construction over community needs: “What good is it to pour $5 million into new streets just for people to sleep on them?” she asked. Her words reflected the frustration many residents feel about the city’s approach, which they see as rushing forward with construction plans without taking enough time to address the more pressing needs of those living in the neighborhood.
Austin emphasized that the community is just beginning to heal, and rushing through the process risks losing sight of the deeper issues at play.
Marcia Howard, a resident of the nearby Bryant neighborhood, echoed this sentiment. “George Floyd Square is the epicenter of a global social justice movement,” Howard said, highlighting the square’s symbolic power for both local residents and people worldwide. “It is a memorial, and it symbolizes resistance, but first and foremost, it is a community.”
Howard, a high school teacher, also reflected on how the killing of George Floyd and the subsequent response by law enforcement — the National Guard rolling past her home in tanks — radicalized her. She concluded her remarks by engaging the audience in a fervent chant: “No justice, no streets!”
Delay implementation
The meeting culminated in a powerful call for a comprehensive, people-centered plan for George Floyd Square. Austin declared, “Out of respect for our elders and those who continue to live without basic resources for safety and liveability, we propose…[that the city] halt implementation of the suggested vision for George Floyd Square to allow for the following:
- The city of Minneapolis collaborate with Hennepin County and the state of Minnesota to create an intergovernmental agency approach to implement immediate solutions for housing and healing at the same level they created an intergovernmental agency approach to law enforcement during the trial of Derek Chauvin.
- The city of Minneapolis explore options for supporting a racial justice and healing center at the intersection of 38th and 4th Avenue in honor of the work that Councilmember Andrea Jenkins has done to help revitalize the Black business district in South Minneapolis.
- The community of George Floyd Square, residents, businesses, and extended community, the family of George Floyd, and the future owner of the People’s Way use the existing Community Visioning Council to create a comprehensive vision for George Floyd Square by October 2025 that is community-led and includes a permanent memorial to George Floyd, the People’s Way, and the right-of-way. This vision will be presented to the city council as a pathway forward in the fall of 2025.
Before closing the meeting, attendees shared personal testimonies and reaffirmed their commitment to justice. Jay Webb, known as “the gardener,” offered admiration for attendees. “It’s good to see these seeds growing. You are the true flowers. You are the beings that have roots, flowers, and fruits. An apple tree doesn’t feed itself, but it is for those who pass by.”
Webb then turned his attention to the city leaders. “They are trying to re-envision something they never understood.”
Alexzia Shobe welcomes reader responses to ashobe@spokesman-recorder.com.