GEORGE FLOYD SQUARE Three years later

n the three years since the murder of George Floyd and the protests that followed, not much has changed at the intersection of Chicago and 38th Street. The memorial in front of Cup Foods (rebranded Unity Foods) at George Floyd Square (GFS) serves as an ever-present reminder of the tragedy. The wooden barricade next to the memorial, etched with unfamiliar and familiar names like Philando Castillo and Jamar Clark, along with the “Peoples way” mural across the street bear witness to the Black and Brown lives lost before and after

George Floyd.

Occasionally, tour guides can be seen leading sightseers up Chicago towards GFS, nervously trying to navigate the site of Black trauma, all the while turning tragedy into commerce.

Recently however, the Graves Foundation announced plans to redevelop the building across the street from GFS on Chicago, purchasing it for just over $1 million. City Council President Andrea Jenkins has asked the state legislature for $25 million to help develop the area.

Of those looking for an opportunity to educate visitors coming to GFS is KingDemetrius Pendleton, a long-time local activist and journalist, who wants to establish a nonprofit education and community center. “I’ve been boots on the ground covering local events before, during and after the death of George Floyd,” said

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

Pendleton.

“The community is tight knit. Members of the George Floyd Global Memorial Foundation, Agape and other neigh- borhood groups are often on site and have welcomed me and my team.

“The businesses that were

■ See GFS on page 5