‘We are facing a new level of anti-blackness’

I’m a black woman from the third precinct in Minneapolis, where a lot of the unrest has been happening, and my role as an activist is in helping out the community. I stand with them.

There have been so many state sponsored acts of murder of black people, in Minnesota and across the country. When the news of George Floyd broke I woke up to lots of friends checking in with me. Word had gotten out that police had killed an unarmed black man in the south side of Minneapolis. That’s where I work, and where I live. It’s where I raise my 15-year-old son.

It happened outside Cup Foods, a store on 38th Street. People gathered there to express their sorrow, and anger. They started moving toward the police precinct. It was peaceful and the crowd started to grow. I don’t know what the tipping point was, but at some point the police used tear gas and rubber bullets.

We’ve had police killings in Minnesota before. There was Philando Castile and Jamar Clark. I don’t know what’s different this time, except maybe social media. This murder was filmed by a bystander.

Really, I think the main difference is that we’re just tired. People in my city are really tired of this and we just want to see the police held accountable.

I think people in the twin cities [Minneapolis and St Paul] and across the nation might be surprised to see this starting here. People often assume Minnesota is a quiet midwestern place where nothing happens, and there’s just a lot of cows.

The reaction across the country has been amazing and it sends us a signal. It is very validating.

We have had gains since the Sixties, but what’s still happening is extremely disappointing. It’s important to remember the gains, especially in the depressed state we are in with the pandemic and unrest. These are the trials that will help us shape the world we want to live in.

In the days since George Floyd’s murder white supremacists have come from outside the twin cities to set fires and to loot. I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve never experienced anything like this. We are dealing with a whole new level of anti-blackness.

Black Hawk helicopters are circling our neighbourhood, shaking our home. My son is cuddling up in my bed, and he’s not a cuddler. Anxiety is rampant.