On May 25, 2025, the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s death was observed not with silence, but with strong voices, heavy hearts, and a collective resolve to continue the fight for racial justice. In the years since Floyd’s final words, “I can’t breathe,” were heard across the globe, his family has remained steadfast in their mission to bring meaning to his death by fighting for lasting reform in policing and racial equity.
In Houston, where Floyd spent much of his youth, community members joined his family, activists, clergy, and government leaders for a deeply emotional memorial. The setting — Cuney Homes in Houston’s Third Ward, where George was raised — served as a poignant backdrop for a remembrance ceremony that was as much a demand for justice as it was a tribute to a life lost.
Remembering George Floyd in the Heart of His Hometown
The memorial began with a private service for the Floyd family before opening up to the public. His brother Philonise, alongside sisters LaTonya and Zsa Zsa, led the family’s participation. They were joined by renowned civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Congresswoman Nikema Williams, and numerous local advocates.
Standing before a crowd gathered at the public housing project where he and George spent their formative years, Philonise Floyd reminded everyone why they continue to speak out. “We’re fighting for a purpose. We’re not going anywhere,” he said. His words, delivered with steady conviction, underscored that their mission isn’t about revenge — it’s about accountability and progress.
This wasn’t just a memorial for a loved one; it was a rally grounded in pain but reaching toward hope. Attendees were led in song, prayer, and poetic reflections, creating moments of both mourning and solidarity. LaTonya Floyd’s performance of “Family Reunion” by the O’Jays struck a particularly emotional chord, symbolizing unity amidst grief, and strength through shared history.
What made the gathering especially powerful was its setting. Cuney Homes, where George once played, laughed, and dreamed, was transformed into a site of historical significance — not just as a personal place of memory, but as a stage for a growing movement.
A Symbol of a Deeper Wound: Sharpton Links Floyd to Emmett Till
Reverend Al Sharpton, who has stood with the Floyd family since the beginning of their public journey, delivered a speech that drew powerful historical parallels. He likened George Floyd’s murder to the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till — a young Black boy whose brutal killing became a spark for the Civil Rights Movement.
“George Floyd was our Emmett Till,” Sharpton said. “The difference now is we had cell phones, and the whole world saw it in real time.”
Sharpton also recalled when Ben Crump, during the early days of the pandemic, traveled to Minneapolis to support the Floyd family. “I promised them we would be there to the end,” he said. “And five years later, we’re still here. Still pushing. Still demanding that justice doesn’t end with one guilty verdict.”
He made it clear that justice for George Floyd isn’t confined to the past. It’s a living cause — an ongoing mission that needs constant vigilance. One court case won’t undo centuries of inequality. The crowd nodded in agreement, some in tears, others raising fists.
Sharpton’s voice carried a deeper truth: Floyd’s death may have awakened the world, but it’s the daily fight that sustains the movement.
A Step Forward, a Push Back: Leaders Criticize Rollbacks in Police Reform
Despite the worldwide protests and calls for change in 2020, real policy reform has remained elusive. Many attendees at the Houston memorial expressed frustration and anger at what they saw as a regression in the fight for police accountability.
Much of that frustration was aimed at the Trump administration’s dismantling of federal consent decrees — legal agreements that provided oversight to police departments with histories of misconduct. Cities like Minneapolis and Louisville, where major incidents of police violence occurred, saw progress stall or reverse.
“To wait until the anniversary of George’s death to double down on rolling back reform,” Sharpton said sharply, “is like spitting on his grave.”
This sentiment was echoed by other speakers, including Congresswoman Nikema Williams, who emphasized her continued commitment to the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The bill, introduced shortly after Floyd’s murder, aims to address systemic flaws within law enforcement through sweeping reforms: banning chokeholds, ending qualified immunity, restricting no-knock warrants, and creating a national police misconduct database.
“I am here to do my part,” Williams told the crowd. “I will never turn my back on this family or the people who demand better.”
However, the bill remains stalled in Congress, caught in a tug-of-war between partisan agendas. Still, speakers insisted that the political struggle must continue — not just for George Floyd, but for all victims of police violence whose names are less well-known but whose families also grieve.
Beyond George Floyd: A Movement with Many Names and Faces
Though George Floyd’s name is etched in global memory, the movement sparked by his death is not about one individual alone. That truth was acknowledged repeatedly at the memorial.
The Floyd family and guest speakers made sure to honor others who have suffered under the weight of injustice — names like Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, and countless others were spoken aloud, their stories folded into the broader narrative of racial trauma and resistance.
“George was the spark,” one family member said, “but he was not the fire. The fire is in all of us.”
Attorney Ben Crump also addressed the crowd, reminding them that the road to justice is rarely a straight line. “History will remember how this family didn’t just grieve — they stood up,” Crump said. “They turned their pain into purpose. They used their platform to fight not just for their brother, but for all of our children.”
Crump has become a pivotal figure in many of the high-profile civil rights cases in recent years. His presence at the memorial symbolized not just legal advocacy, but a broader cultural and moral push for change.
His words reflected the exhaustion many activists feel — yet also pointed toward hope. “We’ve seen how powerful we can be when we stand together,” he said. “And we must keep going, because too much is at stake.”
Five Years Later: What Has Changed, and What Still Must?
Since May 2020, the world has changed in visible and invisible ways. There have been some victories: Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder; cities reevaluated their policing budgets; corporations and schools began having real conversations about racial bias; and a new generation of young activists rose with passion and clarity.
Yet, many of the core issues remain. Police departments are still too often shielded from accountability. Laws that could prevent future tragedies remain locked in legislative limbo. And systemic racism — in housing, healthcare, education, and the economy — continues to shape the daily lives of millions.
What George Floyd’s death revealed wasn’t just the cruelty of one moment. It exposed a pattern, centuries old, that the world could no longer ignore.
As the memorial in Houston drew to a close, attendees stood for a moment of silence. The hush was not empty. It was a moment weighted with memory, anger, love, and determination. It was a collective breath — a pause before continuing the climb.
Philonise Floyd’s words from earlier in the day echoed again in people’s minds: “We’re not going anywhere.”
Conclusion: A Legacy That Demands Action, Not Just Remembrance
The five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death is not simply a marker of time passed — it is a testament to what has been done, and what remains to be done. His name is now known across the world, not because of how he died, but because of how people responded.
His family could have mourned privately. Instead, they opened their hearts to the world, using their platform to demand accountability, legislative reform, and compassion. They inspired protests, conversations, art, and activism in every corner of the globe.
But remembering George Floyd is not enough. Honoring him requires work — uncomfortable, urgent, relentless work.
It demands that citizens continue pushing lawmakers. That communities continue educating one another. That leaders stand up not just on anniversaries, but every day. That names are not forgotten. That systems are not excused. And that change, while slow, continues to be pursued with fierce intention.
In that way, George Floyd lives on — not only in the hearts of those who knew and loved him, but in every act of resistance, every conversation about equity, and every demand for justice yet to come.
