The death of George Floyd sparked a response on both a local and global level. Many people asked why was it Mr. Floyd and not individuals like Breonna Taylor or Ahmaud Arbery or countless others who were killed due to the negative narratives surrounded by black people and other people of color. The slow, drawn out death of George Floyd, along with the social and political climate of the world are all factors to this issue. The video of George Floyd’s murder took place for about nine minutes and the cries and pleas for air is apparent. Whether if you watched it or not, that effect is imminent on many people. Additionally, emotions are near an all time high before this act entered the equation. COVID had many people stuck at home, dealing with their own emotions and the confusing and dastardly talks and policies of COVID. People in marginalized communities were hit hard during this time, more than anyone else. This attack just brought out the anger, the frustration, angst and pure sadness within everyone. People were dealing with Ahmad and Breonna as well but with George how he died was as close to a lynching we’ve seen, in terms of how out in public it was and how slow it occurred. Global movements have been able to further their own conversations of police relations with marginalized people. I got a bit emotional listening to the podcast talk about other people seeing there lives and situations being reflected in the murder of George Floyd. I’m emotional writing this and reflecting on this issue again. Places from Brazil, to Amsterdam to New Zealand to Syria to Kenya. All of them having conversations in regards to their worlds being engulfed in race issues. All of the speakers who spoke were inspirational, all of them gave me hope on some level. Syria broke my heart hearing so many people lost their lives for just asking for freedom. Kenya angered me, with people calling others out for caring about abroad issues as well as local ones. New Zealand allowed to feel hope, having change come immediately . In Brazil, it allowed to reflect on how people, primarily those who were white didn’t belief in police brutality. Amsterdam, Dutch specifically allowed me to think of white guilt or lack thereof in this country as well. Many of these countries connected to this issue due to the fact many of them are either going through the same issues or are afraid of reaching that point.

In regards to why people have connected to BLM .They’ve seen how fragile human life is on such a drastic level, whether in their own countries or in other places. Social media has been able to connect us all. So many people are marginalized and many people are also tired of being treated like they don’t matter. BLM has given each of  these countries language on what is wrong with police brutality and systemic racism. This isn’t the first time this has occurred, where one countries movement has led to others.

This can be shown with Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela being influenced by Mohandas Gandhi actions about five decades previously. Social disobedience was adopted during the Civil Rights Movement in America during the 1950s and 1960s and again during the late 20th century with the apartheid in South Africa due to Gandhi’s fight for independence in India from Britain starting in the 19th century.