Categoría:Perspectiva
Five years after the murder of George Floyd, South Minneapolis is not a symbol of despair — it is a canvas of resilience, hope, and community-led transformation. Across the city, individuals and organizations have stepped into the moment, reimagining spaces, healing communities, and building a future where everyone can thrive. These leaders remind us that we all do better when we all do better.
Today, we’re lifting up the work of McKnight grantees who are rebuilding and reimagining South Minneapolis—a community forever marked by the violent loss of George Floyd’s life—and creating spaces for equity, healing, and opportunity. We asked leaders from these powerful, community-centered organizations to reflect on the five years since Mr. Floyd’s murder, and their diverse, inspiring responses remind us why this work matters. We’re deeply grateful to these courageous characters and nonprofits, and proud to partner with them as we strive together toward the just, creative, and abundant future we know is possible for everyone.
- What inspires you in times of challenge or uncertainty?
- What lessons have you learned through your work since 2020?
- What does it take to foster resilience and positive change in disinvested communities?
Here is what they told us.
Redesign, Inc: The Historic Coliseum Building
A Beacon of Restoration and Community
The century-old Coliseum Building on East Lake Street, once battered and burned three times during the 2020 civil unrest, now stands as a powerful symbol of resilience and regeneration. What was a damaged shell has been lovingly restored into a vibrant community anchor, blending historic brick facades with modern gathering spaces, flexible event halls, and affordable storefronts for local entrepreneurs. The project preserves the building’s storied past through careful craftsmanship and community collaboration while opening new pathways for creative expression, cultural events, and neighborhood gatherings. We spoke with Taylor Smrikárova, Real Estate Development Director at Rediseño, Inc., the nonprofit developer behind the project, and the lead on the Coliseum restoration.
In addition to the Coliseum project, Redesign has been actively involved in rebuilding efforts across areas impacted by the 2020 civil unrest. This work includes ongoing community engagement to shape a shared vision for 2800 East Lake, the former US Bank site; the development of an innovative Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage system to provide clean heating and cooling for future buildings in the area; consulting with Wilmar Delgado on a new development at 2700 East Lake Street, the site of the former El Rodeo and Oddfellows buildings; and the completion of the Elite Cleaners building restoration, which transitioned its long-time tenants into building owners.
What inspires you in times of challenge or uncertainty?
In times of challenge or uncertainty, I’m inspired by the idea of resilience that often emerges from constraint. Five years after the murder of George Floyd and the civil unrest of 2020, our philanthropic partners and financial institutions must continue to make intentional investments. Many projects and commitments sparked during that pivotal time remain unfinished, but the vision of equity, community investment, and lasting change still rings true. Meaningful impact takes sustained effort and collaboration. We have the resources and expertise to continue turning promises into progress, but only by working together to help shape spaces that foster equity, opportunity, and lasting change.
What lessons have you learned through your work since 2020?
I’ve learned several critical lessons through my work. One has been the importance of capitalizing on a moment to create momentum. It is the bridge between a powerful moment and lasting impact. Every project deserves dedicated resources, thoughtful planning, and sustained support that the philanthropic community is capable of. Additionally, I’ve come to understand that partnerships, while essential, are often difficult and must evolve. Effective collaborations require constant communication, trust-building, and a willingness to adapt as circumstances change.
Teatro Mundial de Pangea
Arts, Healing & Justice
Teatro Mundial de Pangea has long believed in the power of art to transform communities. With support to plan and purchase a permanent home on East Lake Street, Pangea is creating a cultural anchor for creative expression, belonging, organizing, and advocacy—a space to foster resilience and healing. This new home will allow Pangea to amplify unheard voices and deepen community connections through ongoing workshops, performances, and collaborations. We spoke with Pangea playwright and director Meena Natarajan:
What inspires you in times of challenge or uncertainty?
The image of the phoenix from one of our plays, Conference of the Birds, always inspires us. As the narrator says,
The phoenix lives about a thousand years and knows exactly the hour he is going to die. When his time comes, he gathers around him leaves, logs, and trees. Before he dies, cries emerge from each pierced hole in his beak. Each of those notes speaks of grief, and many of the watching birds grieve.
Some cry in sympathy, some faint, and they determine that they will leave the world behind.
When death draws near, the phoenix fans the air with its tremendous wings. A flame darts out and licks the air, lights up the pyre, now the phoenix and the wood are a raging fire. Soon, everything–bird and wood–is reduced to charcoal and then to ashes. When the last spark has flickered out, a tiny little phoenix pushes itself out of the bed of ashes.
This image of emerging from the ashes with effort, pushing out, and then flying away, inspires. And for us, living in Longfellow and being part of Longfellow Rising, with a common vision to build back with justice and equity, like the baby phoenix. The support, goodwill, and love that we have received from our community as we face our challenges and build aspirations together inspire us to build a community of belonging.
What lessons have you learned through your work since 2020?
We are even more determined to be committed to solidarity, equity, and justice, and build relationality with organizations committed to similar values. We have learnt the importance of building a space of deep caring and empathy. So many people in our community have been deeply affected by what happened through the pandemics of COVID and racism. So many people passed away, especially vulnerable elders from communities of color. For us, the lines between theater, art, community building, health, and sustainable economic growth of our neighbors and businesses in the area are blurred. We have listened deeply, dreamt together, envisioned a future yet to come – this is the lived experience of building an ecosystem of interdependence and common vision.
What does it take to foster resilience and positive change in disinvested communities?
There is a real atmosphere of fear at the moment. It has been unsettling to watch and feel the moorings of funding, systems, and laws shift tectonically underneath us. Families are being separated. History and education are under attack. A project that we collaborated with Holy Trinity Church on right after the uprising comes to mind. We commissioned Dakota visual artist, Angela Two Stars, to create a piece that would exemplify healing and building back of our community with rigor. We all created the image of a cocoon that would metamorphose into a butterfly. This project helped bring a tremendous goodwill and a praxis of shared imagination. So many organizations and individuals gave their time to make this project happen. While it would take an enormous influx of funding and resources to build back Lake Street, this process of healing together and imagining a robust, sustainable ecosystem is also essential. The arts are as necessary as breath to build shared imagination.
Pillsbury United Communities
Community-Centered Information & Resource Sharing
Pillsbury United Communities has played a key role in reimagining the neighborhood surrounding George Floyd Square, working to ensure the community’s voice guides every step. We spoke to Mike Brooks, Station Manager for KRSM Radio, one of Pillsbury’s local community news outlets. He covered the death of Mr. Floyd and the 2020 civil unrest while working as a DJ at the station.
What inspires you in times of challenge or uncertainty?
In times of challenge or uncertainty, I am inspired by the resilience and dedication of the KRSM volunteer DJs. Truly a job done out of love, our DJs show up every week, no matter what life throws at them, to provide quality programming to KRSM listeners. An understanding that the work we do is in community, for community, and done to positively affect the community is a tying bond that we all share.
What lessons have you learned through your work since 2020?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned through the work we’ve done since 2020 is that we all actually do want to be around each other and in community with each other. Once the ability to connect was no longer in our control, we wanted more control over it. I think I recently realized we always had the power and just didn’t use it. So now my connections are entirely more enriching.
What does it take to foster resilience and positive change in disinvested communities?
Time and commitment.
Pillsbury House Theater
Co-creating Healing & Justice
Owned and operated by Pillsbury United, Teatro de la casa de Pillsbury—just three blocks from George Floyd Square—has long served as a vital space for healing, dialogue, and activism. We spoke to Noel Raymond, Senior Director of Arts & Culture, and Signe Harriday, Senior Artistic Producing Director.
What inspires you in times of challenge or uncertainty?
How community shows up in a spirit of care inspires me; how artists use their creativity to make space for community resistance/grief/healing/transformation inspires me; how collective imagination opens up new possibilities inspires me.
What lessons have you learned through your work since 2020?
So many lessons – but one key takeaway for PH+T was the power of moving our theatre performances/community events into outdoor public spaces – doing shows outside created a kind of public square that we are now organizing activities and future possible development around – the radical porousness we have long aspired to became more real in 2020 and 2021.
What does it take to foster resilience and positive change disinvested communities?
Resilience and positive change take resources and agency – orgs like PUC and the communities we serve need to be able to self-define what resilience looks like and have the resources (financial and otherwise) to activate that resilience – too often the idea of resilience is weaponized as a way of expecting communities and community based nonprofits to stay strong in the face of adversity and continue to do all the things with less resource and support
Resilience and positive change also take an inversion of the prevailing power structure – so community can chart its path to healing and wellbeing on its own terms and systems of power can learn from community and evolve toward justice and equity.
Centro Comunitario Sabathani
Investing in Vibrant, Resilient Community Spaces
Centro Comunitario Sabathani has been a steadfast pillar of South Minneapolis since its founding in 1966, offering culturally grounded arts, education, health, and advocacy programs. In the five years since George Floyd’s murder, es served as both sanctuary and springboard—hosting grief circles, feeding hundreds of families each week, and elevating resident voices in shaping the neighborhood’s future. More than a gathering place, Sabathani embodies community-led healing and empowerment, equipping people with the support and tools they need to drive lasting change. We spoke with Sabathani CEO and president Scott Redd.
What inspires you in times of challenge or uncertainty?
Sabathani Community Center has long served as a beacon of resilience, empowerment, and community service. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, several key sources of inspiration have shaped and sustained Sabathani during these difficult and uncertain times:
Community Legacy & Responsibility: Sabathani’s leadership draws strength from its deep roots in the community. Founded during the Civil Rights Movement, its mission has always been tied to social justice and community upliftment. The murder of George Floyd reignited that legacy—inspiring leaders to step into a familiar role: defenders and healers of the community during crisis.
The Voice of the People: The outpouring of grief, outrage, and calls for change from community members became a powerful motivator. Sabathani is inspired by the raw honesty and strength of the people we serve. This catalyzed our efforts to expand services, host healing spaces, and become a rallying point for activism and recovery.
Faith & Cultural Values: At Sabathani, we are guided by faith-based and African-centered values — compassion, justice, unity, and collective responsibility. These values provide emotional grounding and moral direction during times of chaos and uncertainty.
Youth & Future Generations: The vision of creating a safer, more equitable future for the next generation continues to fuel Sabathani. In the face of trauma and systemic injustice, Sabathani has doubled down on youth programming, mentorship, and education to empower young people as future change-makers.
What lessons have you learned through your work since 2020?
Sabathani has adapted the philosophy “Stronger Together,” from the aftermath of 2020. We know we can’t do this work alone, and we don’t have to. We learned that we could lean on the community for answers to solving the difficulties we face. We see our community as an asset, not a liability!
What does it take to foster resilience and positive change in underinvested and vulnerable communities?
Fostering resilience and positive change in underinvested and vulnerable communities takes a layered, long-term approach that centers on equity, empowerment, and trust. This starts with seeing communities like ours as assets. Working with the community to develop community-led vision. Honoring the lived experiences and cultural knowledge brought forth from the community. Investment in health and well-being, economic prosperity, and developing strategies that focus on critical needs.
These organizations show us something deeper: our communities are rooted in wisdom, creativity, and the strength to shape a better future. In South Minneapolis and beyond, people are turning grief into growth and pain into purpose.
By investing in people and their aspirations, we are not simply rebuilding — we are shaping a future rooted in justice, creativity, and shared abundance, where people and planet can truly thrive.
In Minneapolis and across Minnesota, we know that when we nurture community and lead with imagination and courage, we all rise—and so does the future we dream of.
As we mark the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, we honor not only his memory but the extraordinary resilience, creativity, and collective power of South Minneapolis. From newly imagined gathering spaces to restored historic landmarks, these community-led efforts embody a profound reckoning—and a steadfast belief that justice and abundance are born when we lift one another up. As McKnight and our partners look ahead, we recommit to fueling this momentum, knowing that by investing in people’s dreams and leadership, we’re not just rebuilding what was lost—we’re co-creating a future in which everyone can thrive.
