Rise and Remember

Summary

In a heartfelt community event, Janelle Austin of Rise and Remember leads a discussion on the creation of a Memorial Garden at the historic People's Way, honoring George Floyd and others affected by police violence. Key figures, including family members of George Floyd and art conservators, share their vision for a space that fosters healing, reflection, and community engagement. The proposed garden aims to balance preservation with innovation, offering a serene environment for remembrance and artistic expression.

Highlights

• Janelle Austin leads Rise and Remember, working towards a reimagined People's Way to honor the legacies of victims like George Floyd. 🌿
• Angela Harrelson and Paris Stevens, relatives of George Floyd, advocate for the Memorial Garden as a beacon of hope and reflection. 🌹
• The initiative focuses on blending art conservation with community-led healing spaces, spearheaded by Twin Cities Artcare. 🎨
• Community engagement is at the heart of the proposal, ensuring the garden serves as a living, evolving testament to justice and remembrance. 🏛️
• The proposal includes innovative ideas like a digital exhibition of victims' stories and environmental features like a water fountain. 💧

Key Takeaways

• Rise and Remember organization is steering a project to reimagine the People's Way with a Memorial Garden to honor George Floyd and other victims of racial injustice. 🌿
• The Memorial Garden is envisioned as a space for healing, reflection, and education about the history of racial violence and community resilience. 🏵️
• Key community figures, including George Floyd's relatives and art conservators, play pivotal roles in the proposal, emphasizing collaborative and inclusive development. 🤝
• The initiative seeks to balance physical preservation of historical artifacts with the incorporation of new elements like digital exhibits and serene landscaping. 🖼️
• Fundraising for the project targets a $2.5 million goal, with a focus on community engagement and sustainable development practices. 💰

Overview

Janelle Austin, as the executive director of Rise and Remember, introduces a meaningful initiative to transform the People's Way into a Memorial Garden. This project is deeply rooted in the legacy of George Floyd and aims to create a space where the community can come together to remember and heal. The gathering highlighted heartfelt speeches from key figures, emphasizing the need for remembrance and justice.

Angela Harrelson and Paris Stevens, George Floyd's relatives, shared poignant moments of hope and reflection, advocating for the Memorial Garden as a sanctuary for healing. They stressed the importance of preserving the stories and memories of those impacted by racial violence, envisioning the garden as a beacon of peace and unity amidst ongoing struggles for justice.

The proposal brought forward innovative concepts that intertwine art preservation with modern memorials. Art conservators from Twin Cities Artcare shared their vision of maintaining the site's historical significance while incorporating new elements, such as digital storytelling and tranquil landscapes. The initiative highlights community engagement, ensuring the Memorial Garden evolves with the needs and voices of the people.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction by Janelle Austin In the 'Introduction' chapter, Janelle Austin, the executive director of Rise and Remember, opens the discussion by inviting the audience to explore the possibilities of transforming and reimagining the people's path for the future. She emphasizes the importance of visioning new ways of continuing the purpose and mission of the organization.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Overview of Rise and Remember's Mission Overview of Rise and Remember's Mission: This chapter discusses the mission of the organization, Rise and Remember. The main objective is to preserve stories of resistance to racial injustice while also creating spaces for grieving, paying respects, and advocating for justice. The organization works collaboratively with a team of significant partners committed to this important journey.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Speakers and Collaborators Introduction The chapter introduces key speakers and collaborators related to George Floyd's community and memorial efforts. The contributors include Angela Harelson and Paris Stevens, who are family members of George Floyd, as well as Maggie Hill Kipling and Melissa Amundson, owners of Twin Cities Art Care. Additionally, Nyla Bird, a black art conservator consultant, and Denric Powers, co-founder of Nao Partners, are highlighted. The chapter sets the stage for a collaborative effort with the community at George Floyd Square, emphasizing the importance of people over property and the collective identity of neighbors in envisioning a transformed public space.
• 01:30 - 02:30: Angela Harrelson's Speech Angela Harrelson, who is George Floyd's aunt and the co-chair of Rising Remember, delivers an emotional speech. She expresses gratitude towards colleagues and community members who aim to honor her family through their efforts.
• 02:30 - 03:30: Proposal for a Memorial Garden The chapter discusses a proposal to create a Memorial Garden at "the people's way". The proposal is significant because it draws inspiration from a previous experience where a community in Chicago created a beautiful living memorial for the narrator's nephew, who was killed. The narrator emphasizes the importance and the impact of such memorials.
• 03:30 - 04:30: Importance of Remembrance and Healing In this chapter titled 'Importance of Remembrance and Healing,' the narrative explores the role of flower gardens as a form of protest and healing within a community. The speaker observes how the community takes meticulous care of these gardens, which symbolize more than just beautiful flowers; they represent a deeper process of healing and remembrance. The gardens serve as a testament to the community's resilience and their quest for healing through the nurturing of life and beauty.
• 04:30 - 05:30: Commitment to Justice and Historical Significance The chapter titled 'Commitment to Justice and Historical Significance' delves into the multifaceted symbolism of a garden. It explains how the garden serves as a site for healing, hope, and historical remembrance. It embodies the stories of individuals and holds significant historical value, particularly in commemorating those who have been victims of police violence. The garden is positioned as a space where people can remember and honor their loved ones, ensuring they are not forgotten. Furthermore, it stands as a sanctuary for processing grief, recognizing the profound weight that grief carries.
• 05:30 - 06:00: Introduction of Paris Stevens The chapter titled 'Introduction of Paris Stevens' focuses on the importance of having quiet places like memorials where individuals and the community can reflect and find peace. It emphasizes the significance of such spaces for those who have lost loved ones, highlighting how these places offer solace and a sense of community.
• 06:00 - 07:30: Paris Stevens' Speech Paris Stevens emphasizes the interconnected nature of support and healing, describing it as a circle where pain transforms into purpose. Stevens highlights the importance of commitment to justice, envisioning a scenario where walking through the People's Memorial Garden evokes historical significance, allowing history to speak for itself.
• 07:30 - 09:30: Vision for the Memorial Garden The chapter titled 'Vision for the Memorial Garden' discusses the significance of a location that has been claimed not by development but by history and the people. It emphasizes the power of stories that have been told and highlights the dedication of the community on 38th in Chicago, who have stood firm and fought hard to preserve the integrity and memory of the place.
• 09:30 - 11:30: Melissa and Twin Cities Art Care The chapter titled 'Melissa and Twin Cities Art Care' explores the significance and enduring value of art as a testament to resilience, justice, and remembrance. Through dialogue, the importance of preserving art as a dynamic and enduring symbol through generations is emphasized.
• 11:30 - 13:30: Art Preservation Discussion The chapter, titled 'Art Preservation Discussion,' features a discussion led by Paris Stevens, who is introduced as the first cousin of George Floyd and co-chair of 'Rise and Remember.' Paris describes her experiences visiting Minneapolis, particularly her emotional visit to the commemorative square. She recounts her mixed feelings of sadness and heartache upon seeing the square. Nevertheless, interactions with both the local community and visitors appear to have provided her with some solace and perspective.
• 13:30 - 15:00: Nyla Bird's Contribution The chapter titled 'Nyla Bird's Contribution' revolves around the theme of hope, particularly in the context of a Memorial Garden. The speaker expresses a profound sense of hope when reflecting on the significance of establishing a Memorial Garden in this space. Hope is characterized as a firm belief in the possibility of change and the impact of one's actions. This Memorial Garden is envisioned as a sanctuary for healing, reflection, opportunity, and optimism. It stands as a testament to the belief that positive change is achievable and that individual contributions can make a difference.
• 15:00 - 17:15: Nao Partners' Involvement The chapter titled 'Nao Partners' Involvement' discusses the anticipated impact of a memorial garden. It highlights how the garden will serve as a meeting place for visitors and community members, fostering a sense of opportunity and connection. Additionally, the garden aims to offer a place of peace and educational value. It is emphasized that this garden was inspired by a tragedy that resonated globally, underlining its significance and the depth of its purpose.
• 17:15 - 19:30: Community Engagement and Preservation Plan The chapter titled 'Community Engagement and Preservation Plan' emphasizes the importance of a Memorial Garden as a historical landmark for future generations. It highlights the role of the garden in educating children about the events of May 25th, serving as a reminder of the lives lost. The Memorial Garden is portrayed as a space for storytelling, where narratives can be shared in a personal and controlled manner by the community.
• 19:30 - 21:30: Vision for the Future of People's Way The chapter explores the concept of equality and unity as people visit a Memorial Garden. It emphasizes the importance of experiencing a moment where everyone is equal, fostering a sense of community. The Memorial Garden serves as a symbolic space that honors loss and allows the legacy of loved ones to continue, highlighting the value of remembrance and collective human connection.
• 21:30 - 23:30: Cost and Fundraising Details The chapter titled 'Cost and Fundraising Details' introduces a proposed Memorial Garden project. It sets the scene in a tranquil environment, promising listeners that they will soon gain an understanding of what the garden will include and envision its appearance. The segment ends with an appreciation expressed through applause.
• 23:30 - 24:30: Question and Answer Session The chapter titled 'Question and Answer Session' features a discussion involving Melissa and her colleague from Twin Cities Artcare. They share their experiences and insights from working on preserving offerings from a memorial. They began assisting Janelle with this project in 2012. Through this work, they found their roles as art conservators transforming as they aimed to serve community members in preserving their own history in real-time. The chapter highlights the traditional focus of art conservation on physical objects.
• 24:30 - 27:00: Discussion on Memorial Garden's Impact and Involvement The chapter titled 'Discussion on Memorial Garden's Impact and Involvement' discusses the dual focus on historical, archaeological, and artistic aspects in the project, while also aiming to create something new. It delves into art preservation and examines the evolution of 'the people's way' over the last four and a half years, exploring both its physical and intangible characteristics.
• 27:00 - 30:00: Audience Concerns and Suggestions The chapter titled 'Audience Concerns and Suggestions' discusses the historical significance of a Speedway gas station located at a busy intersection. It highlights the station's presence during pivotal events, such as the murder of George Floyd, where it served as a backdrop for marches, protests, and community gatherings. The narrative emphasizes the location's role in fostering mutual aid, neighborhood meetings, and a community rallying for change, transforming it into a space of protest, mourning, and reimagining a new way forward.

Rise and Remember Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 good evening my name is Janelle Austin I am the executive director of rise and remember today we are inviting you to explore the possibilities of remaining of possibilities of reimagining the people's way for the next season of its purpose
• 00:30 - 01:00 where do I point this or next slide let's do that okay rise and remember exists to conserve stories of resistance to racial Injustice and to curate spaces for all people to grieve pay respect and be a voice for justice we assembled a team of meaningful organizations to walk on this important Journey with us you will get
• 01:00 - 01:30 to hear from Angela harelson and Paris Stevens family of George Floyd Ward nines Maggie Hill Kipling and Melissa amundson owners of Twin Cities art care Nyla bird a black art conservator consultant and denric Powers co-founder of Nao Partners at George Floyd Square we are people over property you will be working with us in our in our Collective identity as neighbors to reimagine the place of the people's way
• 01:30 - 02:00 so miss Angela Miss Paris please begin thank you J good evening everyone my name is Angela harelson I am George fl's auntie and I'm also the co-chair of rising remember I want to say um this is really emotional for me um it's emotional for me because I see um colleagues out here who want to do something really special for the community and and also honor my family so I want to say thank you thank
• 02:00 - 02:30 you so much for that but the proposal that we want to do is to have a um Memorial Garden at the people's way and um and the re one of the reason why this so important is because when my nephew was killed here th Chicago the community they created a beautiful living Memorial um for my nephew and for the and for the and for the
• 02:30 - 03:00 community and what I also realized they also had created um flower gardens that I got a chance to see and I saw people nurturing those those flowers and they just took so much good care of it and then I realized this is part of their protest this this is part of their healing and then the gardens that that you that we're going to have they're more than just about flowers flowers and
• 03:00 - 03:30 plants it's about healing it's about Hope and it represent your story and it also represent history another important point to have that have that Garden is U the remembrance of people who were killed by the police and so they won't feel like their loved ones have been forgotten another reason is it's a place of healing grief is heavy and if can be
• 03:30 - 04:00 so unbearable and when you can go to a quiet place and which I have done multiple times at the memorial and you have a chance to sit and reflect and you know and have some some type of Peace at that moment and is so important for the community and for most of all people that have lost loved ones also it offers a space for the community you know it's a place where the community can come together
• 04:00 - 04:30 create ideas support one another it's a circle of healing that we have for one another and it's also where we where our pain transform to a purpose another thing that is important I thought is the commitment to Justice when you walk to the I'm I'm imagining now when you walk in the people's way and you see this Memorial Garden when you walk in there that's history the history is speaking for itself no one
• 04:30 - 05:00 can erase what happened because the stories are told and also I want to leave you I want to leave you with this because this ground has already been claimed 38 in Chicago it was not it was not by development but it was by history it was not by any type of blueprints but by the people on 38 in Chicago who fought hard who stood and made a
• 05:00 - 05:30 difference and what I want to say else that if this is preserved right it can remain a living breathing Testament to the resilience the justice and the remembrance for generations to come thank you I'm sorry I forgot about this over here um is Paris up there okay this is Paris she's Jo for
• 05:30 - 06:00 his cousin and she has a message for you as well thank you good evening my name is Paris Stevens I am the first cousin of George Floyd and co-chair of rise and remember I currently reside innisville North Carolina and frequently visit Minneapolis the first time I visited the square I had mixed emotions sadness and heartache but after speaking with community and speaking with visitors
• 06:00 - 06:30 the overwhelming feeling I had was hope when I think about the why as a Memorial Garden in this space and its importance I think of hope hope is a firm belief that change is possible and that our actions matter and make a difference the Memorial Garden will be a place for healing and reflection opportunity and optimism
• 06:30 - 07:00 because there will be meeting places where people will meet with visitors and community members and have a sense of opportunities that can rise the Memorial Garden will also be a place of peace and will provide education the garden is birthed from a tragedy that resonated with people all around the world
• 07:00 - 07:30 this Memorial Garden will be historical for generations to come children will learn the history of what took place on May 25th and with this Garden we will remember stolen lives this Memorial Garden will be a place where our stories will be continued to told in our own ways in our own words and we're controlling the
• 07:30 - 08:00 narrative when people visit this Memorial Garden we are equal in this moment in that very moment we are all equal and Memorial Garden is important to me because it Fosters Unity Community offers a place to GED a way to show importance of a loss and allows for the legacy of loved ones to continue in a
• 08:00 - 08:30 tangible and in a Serene environment in the upcoming minutes you will get a sense of what our Memorial Garden that we're proposing will Encompass in the vision of what it will look like thank you [Applause]
• 08:30 - 09:00 hi Melissa and I are the conservators um from Twin Cities artcare and we first began assisting Janelle with the preservation of offerings from the memorial as neighbors of the square in 20120 this work was transformative for us as professional art conservators as we worked to serve the community members preserving their own history in real time traditionally art conservation has been concerned with a physical physical
• 09:00 - 09:30 aspects of a material object whether historical archaeological or artistic our role in this project will certainly involve some of this but we are also here discussing a vision of creating something new so how does art preservation work into this process we'll look at how the people's way has evolved over the last four and a half years and try to understand what makes the people's way the people's way both physical and less tangible characteristics next slide please
• 09:30 - 10:00 the people's way originally the Speedway gas station at a busy intersection was there during the murder of George Floyd it was there as people gathered to march to protest to come together to imagine a new way forward next slide please um it oversaw Mutual Aid and neighborhood meetings and the community that sprung up to create a site of pro protest a sight of mourning a sight of
• 10:00 - 10:30 Hope a sight of outpourings of emotions in many forms including a lot of art can you next slide please and the next slide sorry and a site of Celebration next slide please people flocked to the square for the reading of the Chen verdict and celebrated as a community member Chang the lettering on the people's way Marquee to to reflect the
• 10:30 - 11:00 verdict the inscription on the canopy where there's people there's power as well as a sign altered to read people's way are iconic artifacts of the movement of Just For Justice the art created at and for the site the people's closet the meeting space are all essential to its meaning and its importance to the community and yet the people's way has also constantly changed over the last four years next slide
• 11:00 - 11:30 please and continues to change next slide please so we hope to work with Community to Steward it to its next Incarnation and preserve not only the most important physical aspects of the people's way but also those intrinsic non-physical elements next slide please lastly I want to acknowledge that though Melissa and I bring training as art conservators the leadership and preservation that gen has brought to
• 11:30 - 12:00 caring for the offerings from the square has not only changed us but also the entire field of art conservation and historic preservation this is Janelle um giving a keynote talk at an art conservation meeting in 2023 at the Library of Congress other speakers were the librarian of Congress and a number of all other notables but she was the keynote um and also the George Floyd Community the George Floyd Square community members who were able to attend Melissa and I feel honored to have been asked to be a part of this
• 12:00 - 12:30 project and we know that if rise and remember is chosen to Steward the people's way it will be in good hands with jelle facilitating its Evolution and next we have Nyla bird hi Nyla hello everyone my name is Nyla bird and I am um a black arts
• 12:30 - 13:00 conservator and we'll be Consulting on this project if we're selected and I've put some information on my experience with George Floyd square and how I became involved with the square on the slide but what I really want to discuss today and like speak about is the importance of community and preservation like working together because so often these two things are siloed right there's things happening in community and then there's this preservation and
• 13:00 - 13:30 conservation expertise that's often only kept in like high-f funded institutions and high-f funded educational places and all this stuff and what this project will mean is a collaboration between both of those things like we have the conservation and preservation expertise that is sitting here willing to work with and take guide from community and that happens so seldom and so this will really be a model for like how this works and a leading example for how more
• 13:30 - 14:00 of things like this can happen in the future like hopefully not born out of tragedy of course but really to drive home the importance of like Community sustained Community collaboration right to often these things happen maybe in a one-off project when a cultural heritage institution finally decided they wanted to do something about this but that's not what this is at all and so that's why this is really important to me personally and just like important to to the field of preservation honestly as a
• 14:00 - 14:30 whole thank you uh good evening everybody uh denric Powers I only have a minute left um but this isn't about me uh why is Nao working with rise and M um first and foremost uh because we believe in the leadership of Janelle um and we believe in the vision that she's carrying um you know that Vision being the family's Vision but also of the community around 308th Chicago um Nao Partners we are a
• 14:30 - 15:00 commercial real estate Consulting urban planning and Community engagement firm uh we led the first phase of Engagement uh here at George Floyd Square uh with as a part of the consultant team um to be honest you know I didn't feel like our work was finished um you know before they went on to phase two um but there's a reason um that Janelle reached out to us um it is because you know we we have two values that we work with uh people first uh people over projects people
• 15:00 - 15:30 over the process um as well as applied empathy so having a deep understanding of the end users needs um that's what we do our work by um and it was I was surprised when Janelle reached out to us um and asking us to be a part of the team um because I I just had a lot of angst I guess um you know not having finished the pro the project but I sat I listened to Janelle and I feel like our
• 15:30 - 16:00 our values aligned you know um we had our company Retreat today uh today was our first uh first day and you know alignment belief belief and Faith were some of the key words that came out of my team's uh work and reflection you know over the last you know year a couple years um in the work that we've been doing and so you know to me this is a sign um that you know our work may not be finished um and so you know we're here to support Janelle um throughout this process all right we have listened we have
• 16:00 - 16:30 listened to many neighbors and everyone wants something different so while we are still on our Collective journey toward healing we want people's way to be available to evolve with us a memorial garden presents the opportunity for us to preserve your stories continue the fight for racial Justice and cultivate a place where healing can be nurtured on the stolen Dakota land where art and Justice converge next slide we present to you a potential reimagination
• 16:30 - 17:00 of the people's way if selected we plan to work with neighbors to create the actual design today we'll explore this rendering next slide imagine a wall of names for stolen lives accompanied by a digital exhibition of their stories told by relatives surrounded by grass Gardens and maybe even a water feature you stand in a Serene environment to reflect on our Collective work toward Justice next slide what if we cut the facade of the
• 17:00 - 17:30 people's way restore it and reattach it to a smaller structure the building could could double a storage unit on the lower level and an exhibition of protest art on the upper level what if we had a climate controlled greenhouse and upgraded the people's closet gas station canopy Marquee and first bus shelf and fist bus shelter what if we had self-cleaning public restrooms and a rooftop deep J Booth what if there were
• 17:30 - 18:00 an engraved black power fist on the ground that is backlit so as planes fly over GFS people know we still stand for justice next slide imagine a visitor could order tea at pichota coffee sit on a bench in the garden and enjoy the sounds of urban serenity with a friend can you see it next slide
• 18:00 - 18:30 and next slide and next slide our concept is rooted in preservation the public experience customized provisions and productive contributions the preservation of names through a physical and digital Memorial will honor families and allow us to remember hundreds of more names of stolen lives as a public Memorial Garden people will be able to reconnect with each other and the Land Provisions like selfcleaning public restrooms drinking
• 18:30 - 19:00 fountains an elevator and a DJ booth are details that keep our community our healing journey and our protest accessible and we can be productive by enhancing the economic relief impact through the people's closet creation of new jobs and increase of visitors to Patron local businesses how much will this cost next slide we estimate our fundraising goal to be $2.5 million to cover all expenses we also estimate that the project will take up to 2 years depending on the
• 19:00 - 19:30 expediency of the processes the majority of our funds will be raised through foundations individual gifts and sponsorships we would intensify fundraising efforts upon approval of our project by you our neighbors and subsequently the City of Minneapolis we would be honored and humbled to be chosen as neighbors to reimagine the people's way with you thank you for listening next slide
• 19:30 - 20:00 so if you have questions please stand up and raise your hand so how much time we got an you have yeah five minutes so if we can keep our questions very brief right and somebody who hasn't spoke want to give them a chance with these five minutes over there last can you switch to the last slide please thank you yeah thank you uh quick question why do you think that trying to
• 20:00 - 20:30 put a conservative proposal compared to a giant building is better absolutely because I there's so much diversity in our community and there's so much um healing work that is still happening um and conversations that still need to be had by building a memorial garden we one allow the land to rest um and two we give ourselves an opportunity to continue to build and grow as a community and if later in the future we feel that
• 20:30 - 21:00 there's more that can be added to it we have that opportunity if we build right now um in full then then it's a lot less likely that we can change and shift and pivot so a memorial garden gives us the flexibility um and honestly in our work of Memorial caretaking one of the biggest asks we get from families is can you add the name of my loved one um and that is hard to hear um and we need a
• 21:00 - 21:30 place to do that hello I was wondering who will be doing the gardening will you involve young people in doing building the garden and in terms of the restoration uh has a lot of thought been given to what will happen to the soil that's the the garden will be
• 21:30 - 22:00 developed in absolutely so those are all questions that we've been engag during the community engagement process um we do want to be able to hire grounds Keepers um so that could also be an opportunity to hire youth as groundskeepers or adults as groundskeepers um we our organization rise a member uh we do have cultural heritage preservation internships for youth every summer and so involve youth in this work of cultural heritage
• 22:00 - 22:30 preservation is a core part of what we do um and so um the second question about the soil um that's something that I think that we would have to answer later once we have more information about the soil and we can discuss that as a community there uh oh yeah water features are definitely possible so this is what we've shown you is just um a mock Ren wondering and so we would do a
• 22:30 - 23:00 community engagement process that would allow us to actually come up with what we decide collectively together what we want this Garden to be is question yeah so my question is hi Tommy um how you doing um when you think about building something like this do you think about the target audience right you live in a historical black neighborhood as full of black excellence um I think our neighborhood has enough
• 23:00 - 23:30 cemeteries you know with black bodies in them it doesn't what I'm trying to say it doesn't bring life to a community that's still grieving and healing is to keep bringing more people with their energy to our community cuz to be honest our community hasn't benefited from it George Floyd dying a lot of black body has been locked up now a lot of black bodies have been stolen after George Floyd So something that's
• 23:30 - 24:00 not going to create more employment black businesses generational wealth then I think this is this is just another you know just another um putting a bandaid on a solution that needs that that a problem really need to be fixed my opion do you have a question yeah I think that was more of a statement right so um where we at at time I just want to be
• 24:00 - 24:30 respectful up to space we good thank you friends [Applause]