With everything happening in my home city, Minneapolis, I wanted to share this piece I wrote last winter. While what’s happening is scary and terrifying, I have never felt prouder of my neighborhood and the community there. Todays events echo the riots from a few years ago, demonstrating the resilience and strength of this Midwestern city. In memory of that time and those who continue to fight for what is right, give it a read.

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Because, Minneapolis in spring 2020

Because helicopters hummed above my house for weeks, droning in and out as the daylight passed and curfew began

Because group chats turned hostile if you didn’t post the right hashtags or captions with the black square

Because my city became the center of global news, spreading images of burned down police stations that didn’t look like where I grew up at all

Because the video spread like wildfire through phones until all I could hear was “I can’t breathe”, a sound that echoed through the disease ridden state

Because my liberal neighbors now owned shotguns and seats for their porch, and shifted in and out of consciousness late at night while awaiting the looters. 

Because the smoke faded and people started buying milk for cereal instead of tear gas

Because when the businesses reopened, the locals cautiously returned with their wallets full and ready to rebuild

Because in college when I said where I was from, people’s eyes widened and I could see the images and thoughts flashing through their minds

Because George Floyd wasn’t the first in my city, and he wasn’t the last

Because a change had to start somewhere, so why not here?