RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The murder of George Floyd deeply affected people across the country, including here in central North Carolina, where Floyd was born and still has family.
His uncle Roger Floyd lives in Raleigh and spoke to CBS 17’s Maggie Newland about an organization created to honor George Floyd’s memory.
“May 25, 2020, is when the world really was awakened by what was happening right in front of them,” said Roger Floyd. “This was just a pivotal time, and the world was more receptive to what we as Black people have been saying for hundreds of years.”
It’s why he’s calling May 25 a Day Of Enlightenment and asking people to honor George Floyd by standing against injustice and racism.
It’s just one of the initiatives of the George Floyd Memorial Center.
“We want to give back to society,” said Floyd. “That is what’s important to our family. It’s not what we are going to get out of it — it’s what we can do to enhance the lives of others.”
The organization will focus on scholarships as well as leadership and job training. The first project will serve the Raeford area.
“Why Raeford? Why Hoke County?” asked Floyd. “Because we want to give back to that community that welcomed us with open arms when we had the North Carolina memorial service for George, and what better place to start?”
The George Floyd Memorial Center plans to provide technology training there.
“If you have a trained workforce, industry will come to you,” explained Floyd. “We are not doing this just for individuals to get jobs, we are doing this for individuals to establish careers.”
The George Floyd Memorial Center is just getting started and Floyd says it needs the help of the community to open eyes and change lives.
“It’s all-inclusive,” said Floyd. “That’s what it’s all about because we are so much better together than we are apart.”
If you’d like to know more about it and how you can support its work, click here.
