We Pay Our Respects to George Floyd and Survey the City

We've been having talks with Meadow about what's going on lately. It can be hard to explain without her actually seeing it. We've had the news on more, but I thought she should see some things in person.

This Sunday we came to 38th and Chicago to pay our respects to George Floyd.

I had wanted to come during a weekday morning as I knew it would be busy on the weekend. Masks and hand sanitizer were required before entering.

The names of black people killed by the police were painted on the road.

Black Lives Matter. The current structure of policing does not make many Minneapolitans safer, especially BIPOC people. Change needed to happen years ago, but hopefully we reach for a new understanding of what public safety means.

We decided to grab some lunch at our favorite tamale and taco places. Lake Street needs our business more than ever right now.

First I picked tamales for the kids at La Loma.

Then we got some tacos and a burrito at Taco Taxi.

Meadow has been asking to have a picnic lately. I think we fulfilled her wish.

Meadow has been interested in Star Wars lately so we have been watching the movies. Theo now thinks everything is a light saber.

We then decided to check out Midtown. Another area that was damaged with fires.

This intersection was much harder hit than where we'd been to date. A one block span of Chicago just south of Lake is nearly all severely damaged.

It was a hot day. Our neighbors offered us their old sandbox to use as a wading pool for the kids.

It's strange to go and reflect on how we systemically hurt Blacks in this country and then come home to lily white Southwest Minneapolis.

Still, on a hot day it's a wonderful time to play in our condo buildings little yard.

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