Mercyhurst University had the opportunity to welcome Terrence Floyd Wednesday evening, the brother of the late George Floyd.
George Floyd passed in May of 2020 when a Minneapolis Police Officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.
Today, his brother Terrence continues to use his voice to honor his brother and speak about racial justice.
Today was also the day of Tyre Nichols’ funeral, making Floyd’s words tonight hold that much more weight.
Following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police, George’s brother, Terrence Floyd, has been speaking around the nation about racial injustice.
His latest stop, Mercyhurst University.
His visit to Erie came the same day that Tyre Nichols was laid to rest. Terrence shared with his thoughts on the police video.
“My initial reaction to the video was here we go again,” said Terrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd and Founder of We Are Floyd. “It kind of was like deja vu. It brought back memories of watching the video of my brother and certain shots, pictures it kind of reminded me of my brother.”
And while Floyd saw similarities between his brother and Nichols, it also served as a reminder for why he works so hard for justice today.
“I’m in this movement to better the culture, the people, to keep this fight going and not stopping until we all are created equal,” Terrence Floyd went on to say.
Floyd has since created a non-profit in honor of his late brother called, We Are Floyd.
He said programs are geared towards the youth and communities battling hardships, mental illness and poverty within the black and brown community.
The Mercyhurst Student Government President believes that Floyd’s words will impact many students Wednesday night.
“I think that hearing it affected him, but also how he’s been able to turn it into something positive and try to help the younger generation and spread this message, I think that’s going to be very powerful to people,” said Lily Smith, Mercyhurst Student Government President.
“The situation thrust me into the spotlight, so I might as well use the platform to get to know the people and understand what they’re going through on top of what my experiences are, understand what the people are going through and help them,” Terrence Floyd explained.
You can find more information about Terrence’s non-profit, We Are Floyd, on our website YourErie.com.