After Keenan Love heard about the unjust killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he knew he needed to do something positive to evoke change.
Love's positive idea was to walk 46 miles from the city of Chicago to his hometown of Kankakee, each mile representing one year of Floyd's life. Love said it was his way to "fight back without causing a ruckus, without causing destruction, without being negative in any way. It was just my way to speak my piece.”
He set out for the long trek Sunday morning at 8 am from South Cicero Avenue and West 83rd Street in Chicago and walked all day until he stopped to rest at 7 pm. On Monday morning, he started at 6:30 am and after making his way past Peotone, Manteno, Bourbonnais, and Bradley, he finally arrived just outside Poor Boy Restaurant on East Court Street in Kankakee at 8 pm!
Many nurses and volunteers checked on him at different points throughout the journey and many also donated food, drinks, and even a new pair of sneakers to help him finish his goal. Love said while sometimes the walk was nerve-wracking and grueling, it was also peaceful and gave him time to reflect on his life.
About 200 people had joined his walk in solidarity by the time he reached the end. Even though he was exhausted, Love jumped up and spun around at the finish line with a huge smile on his face.
His goal now is to create a nonprofit and make the walk an annual event.