Justice For George:
Space As Canvas
The Justice for George 2024 (May 24th and 25th) event centered around Memorialize the Movement's (MTM) relocation to South Minneapolis, a neighborhood irrevocably changed by the murder of George Floyd. After his murder in 2020, we watched our city become a canvas for creative expression, through art, protest, community building, and advocacy. Over the last four years, we have taken on the stewardship of those stories, through the preservation, conserving, and the activation of the plywood murals. The theme, "Space as Canvas," encouraged us to think about the ways in which we as a community use physical and abstract space to express ourselves creatively. With the help of our South Minneapolis community members and local muralists, we painted a mural on our new physical space as an embodiment of this concept. ​
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Like the previous year, this event took place over a two day period, something that we'll continue to implement in the next event as well. The first day focused on being together in a more intimate setting with documentarians and local community members discussing and reflecting on 2020 and where we are now. The second day was bustling, festival style, with food and artist vendors, live performances, mural painting, and outdoor exhibition, and our first open house. Both days focused on bringing the community together and showcasing the creativity of our neighbors.
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On the first day, a panel discussion, short film screening, and Paint to Express workshop was held in DuNord's new event space next door to the Memorialize The Movement Headquarters. This year’s panel featured four documentarians; Alec Fischer, Georgia Fort, William Tyner, and Ashley Tyner. Each of these documentarians worked diligently to document the Uprising in 2020 in their own ways and continue to uplift and work in the community. The discussion centered around the work these artists we doing in 2020 and what drove them to documenting the Uprising and where they are now in continuing to uphold and inspire change. Alec Fischer debuted a short film documenting Memorialize The Movement’s move from The Northrup King Building in Northeast Minneapolis, to our new space in South Minneapolis.
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On the second day, the community was invited to our new space in South Minneapolis to enjoy live entertainment, local arts vendors, a street exhibition, food from local vendors, and a live mural painting. The new mural has not only beautified our new space but also created a lasting piece of art that embodies the spirit and resilience of our community. The mural stands as a testament to the creativity and solidarity that have defined our journey, turning our space into a living, evolving canvas that continues to inspire and connect us. The performances, vendors, and outdoor exhibition were all a hit with the event goers, inspiring togetherness and deep thought.​
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As the first event at our new space in South Minneapolis, this year’s Justice for George event was incredibly special. In the past four years both the organization and the community have come so far since the Uprising in 2020.
We love our new home in South Minneapolis and will continue to engage with our community through authentic and justice driven events. As we look ahead, we are excited to host more events, workshops, and programs that reflect our mission and values, ensuring that our new home remains a beacon of hope and progress for years to come.
