George Floyd’s cousin preserves his legacy alive after 5 years of his death

Shareeduh McGe is trying to ensure that her cousin continues to kill a positive change in the world, even when people work in power to retract the progress made in his name.

On Sunday, he will celebrate five years since former Mininapolis police officer Derek Shofin knelt on the neck of George Floyd for more than nine minutes, while Floyd called his mother and repeated the words: “I cannot breathe.”

Video footage of the killing sparked the rise of black life, and sparked huge protests all over the world and led to the adoption of widespread policies and legislation aimed at combating anti -black racism and police violence.

Meanwhile, two chances were fired from his job and was sentenced to more than two decades imprisonment for government murder and a federal charge of violating the civil rights of Felioid.

But now, the momentum has turned. US President Donald Trump Police reforms were stopped by his predecessor. US Department of Justice He pledged to withdraw lawsuits against police stations Their black officers were killed. And many prominent Republicans Trump’s invitation to pardon Shofin.

However, McKji says she did not give up hope. She and her family this week help manage a festival in honor of her cousin in his hometown in Houston. Here is part of her conversation with As it happens Host Nil Köksal.

Do you feel this different anniversary of the past?

Regarding what the loss means for me, it is not really different. However, as you know, it’s like anything else. There are times that hit me very hard, and there are times when I am fine and you can deal with them.

I took this to do this festival, to ensure that your cousin does not forget and the change that happened … How are you personally?

Any opportunity for me to provide education or access to people in society is really my treatment for me.

I feel I do something positive not only to make sure that there is a legacy that left George, but also something that can affect the way in which future generations are dealt with in terms of social injustice.

When you think about 2020, the protests that followed the killing, what are you still playing in your mind?

The thing that attracts more attention in my mind is what seemed to be unity in society. I mean, the global community. Like, there was a collective anger at what everyone witnessed at that time.

There were people who were really … sad, as if George was one of their family members. The pain was very clear and tangible in all the places we were going to. I did a little (from travel) because we were going to discussions, detainees, marches and all kinds of things throughout that year until 2021.

So it was good for us to know that we were not alone in what we were feeling at that time.

Now, Shareeduh, given the change in the administration in Washington, the fact that they have announced that they want to end the involvement of the federal government in reforming the local police stations, how does that sit with you?

I think, with disappointment, is the best word to describe. I am not surprised at all.

What he knows is that, at least in Minneapolis, they have been informed that they would continue to do things that were already working on the transformational changes that they feel necessary with the police station.

After that, moreover, as you know, there are right -wing commentators, right -wing politicians arousing the idea of ​​pardoning Derek Shaovin …. How do you deal with this possibility?

My position is still the same. It is one of the disappointment.

One of the things we know is that Derek Shafin was condemned by Minnesota as well as by the federal government. Therefore, the pardon of the federal government does not affect the judgment on the state.

Symbolically what it means, as you know, is the (federal government) a kind of saying … we do not feel that in reality it should be responsible for killing George.

But there is no amount of installation on that will change what can happen.

What do you want the listeners to know George Floyd – your cousin, George Floyd? The person who had family memories?

I just want people to know that he was a complete person who was estimated by those who loved him.

There were no conditions for this love for him. Despite any ordeals he has faced in his life, he does not change what he means to us.

For this reason, we will continue to move forward to ensure that the killing that happened to him, and we did not leave it completely – that we have a legacy of change and that we actually participated in ensuring this change.