Concert and vigil at George Floyd Square

“I love Black people… I LOVE Black people… Don’t you love Black people…? What’s wrong with you”?! calls Vine, community member and poet/spoken word performer at George Floyd Square.

“I love Black people… I LOVE Black people… Don’t you love Black people…? What’s wrong with you”?! calls Vine, community member and poet/spoken word performer at George Floyd Square.

George Floyd’s Aunt Laura “Jackie” Stevens sings “We Shall Overcome.”

The crowd spills outward from the stage in the Worldwide Outreach for Christ parking lot into the streets at 38th and Chicago to watch spirited performances by Innocynce, Vine, DJ Sophia Eris, Floyd family members Laura Stevens and Uncle “Ike,” Nur-D, Maria Isa, Sounds of Blackness and Common in the May 25th Concert Honoring Families of Injustice or Loss.

The crowd spills outward from the stage in the Worldwide Outreach for Christ parking lot into the streets at 38th and Chicago to watch spirited performances by Innocynce, Vine, DJ Sophia Eris, Floyd family members Laura Stevens and Uncle “Ike,” Nur-D, Maria Isa, Sounds of Blackness and Common in the May 25th Concert Honoring Families of Injustice or Loss.

Minneapolis’ Nur-D sings “8:46” from his album “38th,” followed by “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” The day before the concert, Nur-D tweeted: “Tomorrow at the corner of 38th & Chicago Ave We’re going to be turning mourning into dancing We’re going to be celebrating 365 days of strength in the face of injustice And how #Minnesota & #Minneapolis changed the WORLD forever in the wake of tragedy I’ll see you there”

Uncle “Ike” Floyd sings a song he wrote, “Justice is Served.”

Local hip hop artist Nur-D performed “8:46” from his album “38th.”

Boricua singer, rapper and drummer Maria Isa, with musicians and dancers, treat the audience to Afro-Latino-Indigenous rhythms and traditional Bomba-style drumming and dancing. Maria Isa told the crowd that “Big Floyd,” as she called George Floyd, carried these same drums and always made sure she and other women got safely to their cars after the shows. “Every time he was here in the space of me bein' an artist, he protected me... I felt good,” she said. Drumming has been a way to preserve culture in Puerto Rico, Maria Isa explained, and that even though the djembe drum wasn’t in Boricua, they had the barrels that were used for importing rum, sugar, rice and other goods. “Plantations, they changed. These drums survived.” She described the experience of holding her baby, who was one year old at the time, and thinking, “What did our ancestors do with all of the trauma that we are still reliving, what did they do? They sang, they danced, they communicated, and they played with their drum through their pain. That's just what I did. And what you're hearing is what we come together to communicate our pain, to heal through these drums,” said Maria Isa. “One Love, Big Floyd. One Love, Papa.”

Boricua singer, rapper and drummer Maria Isa, with musicians and dancers, treat the audience to Afro-Latino-Indigenous rhythms and traditional Bomba-style drumming and dancing. Maria Isa told the crowd that “Big Floyd,” as she called George Floyd, carried these same drums and always made sure she and other women got safely to their cars after the shows. “Every time he was here in the space of me bein' an artist, he protected me... I felt good,” she said. Drumming has been a way to preserve culture in Puerto Rico, Maria Isa explained, and that even though the djembe drum wasn’t in Boricua, they had the barrels that were used for importing rum, sugar, rice and other goods. “Plantations, they changed. These drums survived.” She described the experience of holding her baby, who was one year old at the time, and thinking, “What did our ancestors do with all of the trauma that we are still reliving, what did they do? They sang, they danced, they communicated, and they played with their drum through their pain. That's just what I did. And what you're hearing is what we come together to communicate our pain, to heal through these drums,” said Maria Isa. “One Love, Big Floyd. One Love, Papa.”

Boricua singer, rapper and drummer Maria Isa, Maria Isa told the crowd that “Big Floyd,” as she called George Floyd, carried these same drums and always made sure she and other women got safely to their cars after the shows. “Every time he was here in the space of me bein' an artist, he protected me... I felt good,” she said. She described drumming as a way to preserve culture in Puerto Rico and, with several musicians and dancers on stage, treated the audience to Afro-Latino-Indigenous rhythms and traditional Bomba-style drumming and dancing.

Boricua singer, rapper and drummer Maria Isa, Maria Isa told the crowd that “Big Floyd,” as she called George Floyd, carried these same drums and always made sure she and other women got safely to their cars after the shows. “Every time he was here in the space of me bein' an artist, he protected me... I felt good,” she said. She described drumming as a way to preserve culture in Puerto Rico and, with several musicians and dancers on stage, treated the audience to Afro-Latino-Indigenous rhythms and traditional Bomba-style drumming and dancing.

Boricua singer, rapper and drummer Maria Isa, with musicians and dancers, treat the audience to Afro-Latino-Indigenous rhythms and traditional Bomba-style drumming and dancing. Maria Isa told the crowd that “Big Floyd,” as she called George Floyd, carried these same drums and always made sure she and other women got safely to their cars after the shows. “Every time he was here in the space of me bein' an artist, he protected me... I felt good,” she said. Drumming has been a way to preserve culture in Puerto Rico, Maria Isa explained, and that even though the djembe drum wasn’t in Boricua, they had the barrels that were used for importing rum, sugar, rice and other goods. “Plantations, they changed. These drums survived.” She described the experience of holding her baby, who was one year old at the time, and thinking, “What did our ancestors do with all of the trauma that we are still reliving, what did they do? They sang, they danced, they communicated, and they played with their drum through their pain. That's just what I did. And what you're hearing is what we come together to communicate our pain, to heal through these drums,” said Maria Isa. “One Love, Big Floyd. One Love, Papa.”

Boricua singer, rapper and drummer Maria Isa, with musicians and dancers, treat the audience to Afro-Latino-Indigenous rhythms and traditional Bomba-style drumming and dancing. Maria Isa told the crowd that “Big Floyd,” as she called George Floyd, carried these same drums and always made sure she and other women got safely to their cars after the shows. “Every time he was here in the space of me bein' an artist, he protected me... I felt good,” she said. Drumming has been a way to preserve culture in Puerto Rico, Maria Isa explained, and that even though the djembe drum wasn’t in Boricua, they had the barrels that were used for importing rum, sugar, rice and other goods. “Plantations, they changed. These drums survived.” She described the experience of holding her baby, who was one year old at the time, and thinking, “What did our ancestors do with all of the trauma that we are still reliving, what did they do? They sang, they danced, they communicated, and they played with their drum through their pain. That's just what I did. And what you're hearing is what we come together to communicate our pain, to heal through these drums,” said Maria Isa. “One Love, Big Floyd. One Love, Papa.”

Madi Ramirez-Tentinger (at left) and Vins Harrelson share a laugh as emcees for the Concert Honoring Families of Injustice or Loss at the Rise & Remember event on May 25th at George Floyd Square.

DJ Sophia Eris keeps the music flowing throughout the concert.

The crowd spills outward from the stage in the Worldwide Outreach for Christ parking lot into the streets at 38th and Chicago to watch spirited performances by Innocynce, Vine, DJ Sophia Eris, Floyd family members Laura Stevens and Uncle “Ike,” Nur-D, Maria Isa, Sounds of Blackness and Common in the May 25th Concert Honoring Families of Injustice or Loss.

The crowd spills outward from the stage in the Worldwide Outreach for Christ parking lot into the streets at 38th and Chicago to watch spirited performances by Innocynce, Vine, DJ Sophia Eris, Floyd family members Laura Stevens and Uncle “Ike,” Nur-D, Maria Isa, Sounds of Blackness and Common in the May 25th Concert Honoring Families of Injustice or Loss.

Three time Grammy Award Winning Sounds of Blackness, wearing t-shirts that say “50 years of Blackness” perform "Black Lives Matter: No Justice No Peace” and “Sick & Tired.” Their t-shirts read “50 Years of Blackness,” in celebration of their 50th anniversary this year. The chart-topping hit “Royalty” was introduced with a reminder to ignore those who try to paint George Floyd and others as “thugs,” because they’re royalty, kings and queens worthy of their crowns.

Three time Grammy Award Winning Sounds of Blackness, wearing t-shirts that say “50 years of Blackness” perform "Black Lives Matter: No Justice No Peace” and “Sick & Tired.” Their t-shirts read “50 Years of Blackness,” in celebration of their 50th anniversary this year. The chart-topping hit “Royalty” was introduced with a reminder to ignore those who try to paint George Floyd and others as “thugs,” because they’re royalty, kings and queens worthy of their crowns.

Three time Grammy Award Winning Sounds of Blackness, wearing t-shirts that say “50 years of Blackness” perform "Black Lives Matter: No Justice No Peace” and “Sick & Tired.” Their t-shirts read “50 Years of Blackness,” in celebration of their 50th anniversary this year. The chart-topping hit “Royalty” was introduced with a reminder to ignore those who try to paint George Floyd and others as “thugs,” because they’re royalty, kings and queens worthy of their crowns.

The crowd spills outward from the stage in the Worldwide Outreach for Christ parking lot into the streets at 38th and Chicago to watch spirited performances by Innocynce, Vine, DJ Sophia Eris, Floyd family members Laura Stevens and Uncle “Ike,” Nur-D, Maria Isa, Sounds of Blackness and Common in the May 25th Concert Honoring Families of Injustice or Loss.

Surprise special guest Common joins Sounds of Blackness on stage. “I'm here because I saw Emmett Till's mom stand in power, even though she was in the most pain you could ever feel, she stood in power. She stood in peace and in love and showin' people what children of God are like,” he said. Common said the names of people whose lives were taken by injustice, which prompted others in the audience to call out names. “It’s such a list it hurts your heart to say it.” He then dedicated the next song to them and their families, and with Sounds of Blackness offered a riveting performance of the Academy Award Winning Song, “Glory.”

The crowd spills outward from the stage in the Worldwide Outreach for Christ parking lot into the streets at 38th and Chicago to watch spirited performances by Innocynce, Vine, DJ Sophia Eris, Floyd family members Laura Stevens and Uncle “Ike,” Nur-D, Maria Isa, Sounds of Blackness and Common in the May 25th Concert Honoring Families of Injustice or Loss.

The crowd spills outward from the stage in the Worldwide Outreach for Christ parking lot into the streets at 38th and Chicago to watch spirited performances by Innocynce, Vine, DJ Sophia Eris, Floyd family members Laura Stevens and Uncle “Ike,” Nur-D, Maria Isa, Sounds of Blackness and Common in the May 25th Concert Honoring Families of Injustice or Loss.

Three-time Grammy Award Winning Sounds of Blackness sang "Black Lives Matter: No Justice No Peace” and “Sick & Tired.” They introduced their chart-topping hit “Royalty” with a reminder to ignore those who try to paint George Floyd and others as “thugs,” because they’re royalty – kings and queens worthy of their crowns.

Madi Ramirez-Tentinger (at left) and Vins Harrelson are the emcees for the Concert Honoring Families of Injustice or Loss at the Rise & Remember event on May 25th at George Floyd Square.

Jeanelle Austin, lead caretaker and board member of the George Floyd Global Memorial, offers thanks to everyone who made the day possible, especially neighbors and protesters who show up “day in and day out.” She also recognized families present. “Y’all, I don’t know how you do it. With the deep pain of a loss, the deep pain of a loss, and you get up, and you keep fighting for justice, and you keep fighting and you keep fighting,” said Austin, to big applause. “You fight for others even in the midst of your own pain. Thank you.”

Akeem D. Cubie speaks directly to his neighbors in the Square. “I just wanna apologize, to the neighbors, the people that live in this square, that live in this community, if this has been a hassle for you for the last 365, this has been something that you don't want or you didn't need, I apologize,” he said. “But as a Black man in America, I feel like this is something that we needed for our community to let people know we [would] take a stand.”

Toshira Garraway speaks to the need for everyone to stand together for stolen lives. She lost her fiancé Justin Teigen 11 years ago to police violence and founded Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence to support families and advocate for accountability. “It's gonna take good White people. Asian people. Black people. Native people. All people to come together to say ‘Enough is enough’! ‘Enough is enough’! You're done hurtin' our Black men. You're done hurtin' our Native people. You're done hurtin' our Asian people. You're done hurtin' our Somali people. It's gonna take all of us,” she said. “So yes, we remember George Floyd today. But we must understand that… George Floyd is the face of hundreds of murders in the state of Minnesota in the last 20 years. And thousands around the United States... Thousands of families. My heart breaks. My heart breaks. And I'm fighting with all my might. And my life might be on the line. But I'm fighting through the fear. So that your children, your significant other, that you will never see the days that we have had to see.”

At dusk, guests were invited to place an LED candle anywhere in the Square, each candle holding the name of a lost loved one. There were 540 total – which was not enough, according to community member Shari Seifert, of Calvary Lutheran Church, who helped organize the vigil. “The process of (collecting) the names filled me with the heaviness of the senseless loss of these lives and how extensive police brutality (is),” Seifert commented on her Facebook page following the event. “It is indeed important to say the names.”

At dusk, guests were invited to place an LED candle anywhere in the Square, each candle holding the name of a lost loved one. There were 540 total – which was not enough, according to community member Shari Seifert, of Calvary Lutheran Church, who helped organize the vigil. “The process of (collecting) the names filled me with the heaviness of the senseless loss of these lives and how extensive police brutality (is),” Seifert commented on her Facebook page following the event. “It is indeed important to say the names.”