I still think about George Floyd. In doing so, I think of the countless other Black men, women, boys, and girls whose lives were taken too soon by police brutality and violence. Sometimes my mind flashes back to the video of George Floyd face down on the ground with a police officer (whose name I do not want to mention) kneeling on his neck, defiantly looking straight into the camera, not an ounce of compassion or empathy to be found. This country has been and continues to specialize in a racialized cruelty that permeates throughout several different communities, and sadly, more and more racial and ethnic groups are learning the cold, hard truths as to the capacity of this nation. Therefore, on October 14th, I choose to celebrate the life of George Floyd and so many others whose lives were taken from their families and communities far too soon.
George Floyd was born on October 14, 1973, and never lived to see his 50th birthday. As I approach 50 in the upcoming years and celebrate so many friends who have reached this special golden birthday, I am reminded that for so many Black people in America, this milestone is not promised. I have traveled the world with friends as they gather friends and family to celebrate making it this far and to thank them and the higher powers for helping them get this far. As the old folks used to say, “Tomorrow is not promised.” Therefore, I am going to spend next Tuesday really taking stock of what I have accomplished and all that I would like to do to advance the cause of justice and freedom for Black people. I will also spend some quiet time thinking about the families left picking up the pieces after unspeakable tragedies. I will send them positive energy as they continue in a country that has shown them so much injustice and cruelty.
I am not concerning myself with how others will choose to celebrate October 14th; I will protect my peace and focus on what nourishes me. And what fills my cup is thinking about ways I can make my ancestors proud by continuing to build connections with Black people across this nation and even the world. These are indeed troubling and quite scary times. The decisions of our leaders on local, state, and national levels don’t seem to make sense to me most of the time, and there is an overwhelming sense that we are moving in the wrong direction. However, I am staying focused. I have genuine hope as I look at all of the people doing the work and fighting for a country we deserve. We must never give up, and we must never forget.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.