George Floyd’s Family Speaks Out at Social Justice Conference

The U.S. entered an unprecedented time with over 180,000 deaths from COVID-19 and some of the largest protests in the country’s history in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police. Marist students and faculty engaged in an intimate conversation with members of Floyd’s family at the virtual Explorations in Social Justice Conference held by Marist on Sept. 8.

“We have fought far too many times, but have yet to see justice served because every single day there is another name,” said Aliyah Wilson ‘21, the president of the Black Student Union. “I ask you to remember all the names. I ask that you value the Floyd family’s experience so that George Floyd doesn’t just become another name of police brutality and racial injustice.”

The conversation was moderated by activist, minister and scholar Nyle Fort. With about 200 people in attendance, Fort began the conversation by having everyone take a moment of silence for the lives lost to COVID-19 and police violence. He then addressed the challenging moment in history that the U.S. is facing.

The webinar was 60 minutes and the last 30 minutes allowed students to ask questions to Floyd’s family members. Some questions had been presubmitted by students and were asked by Dr. Conyers, the associate professor, chair of Criminal Justice and director for Academic Diversity and Inclusion at Marist. “Our president, Dennis Murray, is in attendance with his full support of this

Angela Harrelson and Selwyn Jones, Floyd’s aunt and uncle, spoke about the shock waves from their nephew’s death, the movement for Black lives, the crisis of policing in America and the meaning of justice.

Source: Life Maters: Pexels

“Racism is so much bigger than police violence and it’s definitely so much bigger than individual police killings,” Fort said. “The list keeps going on, the bodies keep on piling up and the flames of racist violence continue to burn brighter and brighter in 2020.”

“To the family, we know him as Perry,” Harrelson said. “I was first introduced to George when he was four years old. As time went on, they moved to Houston. He grew up and got into football and at the same time he also got into a little trouble, too. He had a lot of things he had to work out, but he had a great personality. We reconnected three years ago when he moved to Minneapolis, where he decided to make his last home.”

Floyd was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina and eventually moved with his family to Houston, Texas where he spent most of his childhood. Floyd’s middle name is Perry which is what his family and close friends know him by. In 2014, Floyd moved to Minneapolis for a fresh start and worked as a truck driver, bouncer and rapper. 

“He had a wonderful soul, a wonderful heart,” Jones said. “We grew up in traumatic situations where all we had was really love. We didn’t have an adequate amount of food, we didn’t have an adequate amount of clothes, but what we had was love. Every time you saw (Floyd), he had a smile.” 

Harrelson and Jones spoke about the shock, denial and grieving process their family has endured since Floyd was killed. 

“Thank God my husband was there because I just collapsed to my knees,” Harrelson said. “Everybody was trying to find answers, I was just running around in circles.”

Neither Harrelson nor Jones initially heard about their nephew’s death from family members. Harrelson was called by a reporter on the morning the video was released and thought they had contacted the wrong family. Jones woke up following his usual morning routine and witnessed the video on the morning news, not realizing it was Floyd until he received calls from his siblings. 

“I wake up at 7:30 a.m. like I usually do and I turn on the television and I’m thinking these cops are trying to kill the man, somebody help him,” Jones said. “My sister called me and asked if I saw what happened to Perry. It absolutely took my breath away. I’m still in a funk because every night and every day the first picture I see is him looking back at me. I’m always going to remember the look in his eyes of not being able to do anything to help himself.” 

Since the death of Floyd, Harrelson and Jones have become social activists who are fighting for racial justice. By attending large protests and speaking in communities throughout the U.S., they strive to spread a message of peace. Harrelson and Jones want to keep the legacy of Floyd alive and hope to spread a positive message for the future generations of Black individuals. 

“I do it because I don’t want my four-year-old to have to live a life like we had to live because of the color of his skin,” Jones said. “I have been all over the United States, wherever I can go so people can hear my scratchy voice on issues of peace, equality, justice and respect.” 

Since the death of Floyd on May 25, there have been demonstrations in at least 1,700 locations across the U.S. Large cities, small cities, rural areas and towns have all taken to the streets around the country to protest police violence and fight for racial justice. Some cities across the country, like Portland, Oregon, have protested every day and night since Floyd’s death. 

“I just want to say thank you to the people getting out there and risking their lives protesting for my nephew and other people,” Harrelson said. “When your family is part of this thing, it’s different and I am so appreciative and humble.” 

Harrelson and Jones plan to continue traveling around the country and speaking to those who are supportive of their cause. They recognize that they can’t reach everyone with their message, but they hope the right people will come. Both believe that the movements sweeping the country have the ability to create lasting change.  

“He died for us, he died for us to make a change,” Jones said. “He died for our freedom, he died for equality, he died to end racism. My man did not die in vain.”