Just like the rest of the world, celebrities are just as fired up over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest. On social media on Friday, Oprah Winfrey penned an emotional tribute to Floyd’s life. And her message is a must-read for those who wish to pay homage to Floyd amidst the ongoing fight for justice in his case.
On both Twitter and Instagram, Winfrey posted a portrait of Floyd alongside her heartbreaking message. She began her open letter to Floyd with, “I’ve been trying to process what can be said or heard in this moment. I haven’t been able to get the image of the knee on his neck out of my head. It’s there every morning when I rise and when I go through the ordinary duties of the day. While pouring coffee, lacing my shoes, and taking a breath, I think: He doesn’t get to do this.”
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“And now the video from the other angle of two other officers pinning him down. My heart sinks even deeper,” Winfrey continued. She then went on to highlight how Floyd is being remembered by those who knew him best. “His family and friends say he was a gentle giant. His death has now shown us he had a giant soul. If the largeness of a soul is determined by its sphere of influence, George Floyd is a Mighty soul. #GeorgeFloyd: We speak your name. But this time we will not let your name be just a hashtag. Your spirit is lifted by the cries of all of us who call for justice in your name!”
Floyd’s death has sparked many to speak out in hopes of bringing about some kind of justice in this situation. On Monday evening, Floyd passed away after a Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. Based on video footage from the incident, Floyd said multiple times that he was in pain and that he couldn’t breathe. On Friday, Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. According to ABC News, three other officers were involved in the incident. The publication noted that more arrests and charges were forthcoming.
