The death of George Floyd has sparked riots and protests throughout the globe and now, it seems, the issue is causing stirrings in Steinbach.

George Floyd was a 46-year-old African-American man from Minneapolis, Minnesota who died on May 25 shortly after a white policeman subdued him by placing a knee on his neck, choking him. Some of his final words, "I can't breathe", have become a mantra for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. In the days following the event, acts of vandalism, looting, and civil unrest have taken place in both the United States and across the world. Social media too has been impacted by this incident; many people are finding their Instagram and Facebook feeds filled with the solid black square that has quickly become synonymous with the BLM movement.

Two local residents, Madi Penner and Kody Kallert, sensed the importance of this issue and felt it needed representation within the City of Steinbach.

“I find that I’m feeling a little bit of guilt that I can’t actually go down and be there myself,” offers Penner. "I would love to go to Minneapolis. However, with COVID-19 keeping the borders closed, we can’t, so I wanted to show our support up here.”

While some of the recent American protests have involved certain destructive behaviors, the two women hope to hold a respectful and peaceful protest in solidarity with those experiencing systemic racism in both the USA and Canada. Penner admits that the problem may look different in small Mennonite communities like Steinbach, but feels it is present nonetheless.

“There is racism everywhere,” she states, “And [we] want to show that everybody deserves to be supported, everyone deserves to be respected, and everyone deserves to feel safe.”

The young women invite anyone who is interested in joining their march to meet at K.R. Barkman Park at 6 PM on Monday, June 8. From there, they intend on walking the streets and toting homemade posters, publicly displaying the importance of racial equality.

“Our plan is to show what we believe in,” stresses Penner, “not do anything crazy or violent.”

While gathering people together in protest sounds risky during a pandemic, Penner says everyone involved will be asked to keep six feet of distance between themselves and their fellow participants and will be encouraged to wear masks. 

George Floyd tribute artwork on a wall in Minneapolis (photo credit: Amelia Cha)