RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The City of Raleigh has proclaimed May 25, the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, as a Day of Enlightenment.

Floyd was murdered during an arrest by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. His death sparked months of protests and riots in cities across the country, including Raleigh.

“I think the proclamation is important, it makes a statement,” said Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin. “And it says we are honoring this. I also just really appreciate the family’s efforts toward peaceful protest and making this something that’s a catalyst for change.”

Baldwin announced the proclamation on Saturday during a news conference about the recently established George Floyd Memorial Center.

Floyd’s North Carolina-based family founded the GFMC. They hope to build the multi-purpose center in Southeast Raleigh by 2022 or 2023.

“The Floyd family wants to change the narrative from hurt to hopeful,” said Frederick Huff, who will be the program director for the George Floyd Memorial Center.

Floyd’s uncle, Roger Floyd, will be the chief impact officer.

“This is something that I believe in my heart of hearts, that this is going to be phenomenal.”

The Day of Enlightenment is one of the center’s first initiatives. On May 25, the day Floyd’s murder was captured on cellphone video for the world to see, they’re calling on people to honor Floyd’s memory by standing up for inequality.

“We started seeing the protests, we started seeing a lot of things going on and we’ve sort of moved past that,” said Thomas McLaurin, the center’s chief impact officer. “Now it’s time to move forward and heal this nation.”

McLaurin isn’t encouraging people to protest on the anniversary of Floyd’s death, but instead, do something helpful for someone else.

“What did George change for you? And whatever the answer may be, put it to work, be proactive,” he said.

For more information about the George Floyd Memorial Center, visit https://georgefloydmc.org/.