Shari Seifert is a member of the Race Equity Committee of Calvary Lutheran Church, located one block south of the intersection of 38th and Chicago where two years ago George Floyd was killed by former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin.
“The church had been on a journey of doing racial justice work for a long time," Seifert told WCCO's Al Schoch. "And we had been on that journey before George Floyd happened. It's right here in our front door and you know, thank goodness that we were kind of prepared for the moment.”
The church has been the staging area for demonstrations, provided food and water to people coming to the area and she's ramping up again for what it's called commemoration week.
“In the early days we had what we called the community table," Seifert said. "We had a table outside with food, drinks, conversation, we said we’d have ministry and bathrooms. We’d let people come in and use the bathroom. For a while we were doing that every day.”
Two years later, the Calvary Lutheran Church still serves the area around George Floyd Square in many ways. Seifert remains one of the leaders in that effort.
"I just feel really blessed. I have learned a lot from people in the community. It gives me hope to talk to George Floyd’s family members and hear them say there has been a shift. We kind of know how to get where we want to go and that is through having true community.”
