we want you to know that god has made himself available to the person of jesus christ to help you in times like these. god bless you. 1 thessalonians 4 beginning at verse 13. but i would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep. that ye sorrow not, even at others which have no hope. for if we believe that jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in jesus will god bring with him. for this we say unto you, by the word of the lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

for the lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel and with the trump of god and the dead in christ shall arise first. then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together to meet the lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the lord. wherefore, comfort one another with these words. god bless you. ♪

>> in honor of our pastor and all the dignitaries here in this sanctuary for this celebration. also acknowledge sherida who is a renowned member of our prison ministry. we had letters coming from those who are incarcerated as far away as angola, louisiana, because of what she's done for the kingdom. so we give you love. in a moment of prayer, gather with me. let's talk to god for a minute. father, i stretch my hands to thee. father, no other help do i know. and god, if you withdraw yourself from us, father, where shall we go? father, we acknowledge you as the master, the creator, the

sovereign god, the ruler, the god that is higher than high, more majestic than majesty. greater than greater. more loving than love itself. god, you are god, and you are sovereign. we welcome your presence that's already in this place. master, we thank you for this celebration. we thank you for the life of george floyd, o god, that at a moment when he called out for his mother, we believe the ears of mamas across this nation reared up, that the ears of mamas across this world heard him cry even though for one mama, all mamas began to wail. we began to wail. we began to wail for our grandchildren. we wail for men across this world because of one mama's call. god, thank you. thank you, god, today, master. we thank you for what you're doing in this place, father.

we thank you. i ask that you'd unite upon us. father, because cloven tongues of fire would decree and declare and proclaim righteousness. but fiery tongues come out in anger. ignite in us again cloven tongues of fire. god, right now we're in a strange land, and i heard the psalmist say, how can we sing in a strange land? i can sing because i know who reigns. we can sing because we know who god is, where god is and what god is about to do. that's how we can sing in a strange land. god, it's a strange land when we have to -- that empathy is not self-motivated but it's not become law mandated. god have mercy. god help us in this place today. god, we pray for the family of george floyd who time after time after time again, bore private

grief in public places. but oh, i remember you said you bore our griefs. you bore our sorrows so father, right now, undergurd them in the game of jesus. remind them underneath them are your everlasting arms. this shall be an ebenezer. this shall be a time of remembrance. this shall be up to everybody that's gone home, o god, remind the nation this is our ebenezer. we sneak and declare that right now, lord god, there shall be justice. that right now, there shall be a remnant that you have already raised up. lord god, give them strength at this time of sorrow. undergurd them. put your arms around them and let them know my god is here, that my god is a comforter. and we will celebrate and remember these days and call on god for our god shall come with a vengeance. our god will avenge us.

our god will come. ride on, king jesus. ride on, emmanuel. ride on, conquering king. we expect and we believe it. now god, we lay hands on it in jesus' name, amen. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ you changed the world yes, you did ♪ ♪ it'll never be the same ♪ i was born by the river ♪ in a little town just like the

river i've been running ever since ♪ ♪ been a long, long time coming but i know ♪ ♪ change going to come oh, yes it will ♪ ♪ it's been but i'm not afraid to die because i know what's up there ♪ ♪ beyond the sky ♪ it's been a long long time coming ♪ ♪ but i know a change gonna come oh, yes it will ♪

♪ but then i go to my brother and i say, brother help me, please ♪ ♪ but he winds up knocking me back down on my knees ♪ ♪ there were times when i thought that i wouldn't last for long ♪ ♪ but now i'm able to carry on ♪

♪ it's been a long, long, long long time coming ♪ ♪ but i know i know a change is gonna come ♪ ♪ oh, yes, it will ♪ i know i know a change gonna come ♪ ♪ oh, yes it will ♪ i believe i believe that a change is gonna come ♪ ♪ oh, yes it will ♪ i know i know i know ♪ ♪ a change is coming yeah ♪ ♪ said i know a change gonna come ♪ ♪ yes, it will

♪ yeah god bless you. >> brother, that shows true skills right there. my, my, my. amen. and thank you, brother, for that wonderful selection. at this time we're going to have resolutions read by one of the daughters of this house. she's gone on to do some phenomenal things for god, and god is just blessing her all over the world. i speak of ivy mcgregor. greet here with a hearty welcome right now. >> thank you, pastor wright, to co-pastor mia wright and certainly to this family, reverend sharpton, all dignitaries and to all

officials. to the family, on behalf of the fountain of praise church, our prayer for the family and the season and this unexpected time is to draw comfort from the facts that while this incident in untimely incidents, it's no surprise to the heavenly father. the bible says in psalms 46:1, god is our refuge and strength. a very present help in trouble. we stand fast in our faith that god will give you inner braces to prop you on every leaning side. may you feel the closeness of his comfort and the warmth of his presence as you cope with this heart-rendering transition. we are praying for you. we are interceding on your behalf and want each of you to know our love extends to you

from houston to all parts of the world. to sharita mcgee tate, a spiritual daughter of this house, our family members and all of the family members, we await the joy that comes in the morning after the weeping season. the bible says that our god will wipe away all tears from your eyes. and soon your sorrow shall be swallowed up in joy. this is given on behalf of pastors remus and mia wright. in his own way and for his own purpose, god has reached down into his garden to pluck one of his fairest flowers. recently god called the spirit of our dearly beloved brother george home to be with him throughout eternity. whereas we the officers and members of the greater st. matthew baptist church desire to

express our love and respect to our departed brother. we make these resolutions, a copy which will be kept in our records. be it also resolved that even as we mourn his departure, we resign to the will of an all-knowing and kind heavenly father. we assure the family of the deceased that they have our lasting heartfelt sympathies. this is on behalf of the greater st. matthew baptist church. reverend ronald booker sr., senior pastor. on behalf of jack yates senior high school, the resolution is for george floyd, class of 1993. whereas we are deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved jack yates lion, george floyd, whom the father has called from labor to reward. whereas george floyd was a

member of the legendary jack yates class of 1993, was a respected leader among all lions, served with character and distinction as an athletic gifted member of the mighty lions. 1992 runner-up state championship football team as the starting tight end and was a member of the high performing mighty lions basketball team who stood as a 6'6" power forward able to dunk with both hands and whereas george floyd lovingly known as "big floyd" and the "gentle giant" was steadfast in his kindness and devotion to helping his fellow jack yates lions succeed through his genuine example of love, faith and generosity. whereas george floyd has left a legacy of love, loyalty and

service to dear old jack yates high that will live on forever in our hearts. now be it resolved that jack yates senior high school embraces the floyd family because of the love that we share. george floyd and his big smile and sense of humor can never be replaced. but his legacy as a lion, a father, a brother, his, a friend, will be honored each time his family, jack yates alumni, are gathered. his beloved community, friends and all others stand up and fight for justice in his name. humbly submitted on this 9th day of june by the jack yates senior high school. [ applause ] the family of george floyd would like to acknowledge the message

of solidarity, resolution and visual tribute from his excellency, nana akul abdul, the president of ghana. yesterday during the memorial, a video produced by the people of ghana was broadcast for thousands of mourners as they paid their final respects to mr. floyd. the family is honored by president aku's decision to have mr. floyd's name permanently mounted in the historic wall at the diaspora african forum and the w.e.b. dubois center in africa. [ applause ] they are grateful that the country of ghana stands with the

floyd family and the struggle of all families to change the status quo of racism and prejudice. the family is deeply moved by the generous act of the ghanaian government to solidify george floyd's legacy. there have been countless other acknowledgments and resolutions. state senator royce west, naacp houston branch, rodney ellis, commissioner harris, county, the church without walls, the seventh day adventist church, hisd, louisiana state senator, texas state university, state representative ronald -- ron reynolds. los angeles police department, city of los angeles, houston community college, poem submitted by melinda wood,

carolyn shaboz, lena melana, county judge and countless others. and we do hope, on behalf of pastor wright, and co-pastor mia wright and the fountain of praise church, we hope that the words that have been spoken and the words that have been written will bring you comfort in the days to come. and while the world has been shaken and awakened by three words that your dearly beloved george floyd spoke, i leave with you one word, his final word, which was, breathe. and breathe is not passive. no, sir, no, ma'am. breathe is active. breathe is inhale and exhale. breathe is to be alive. and so we stay with this family as you breathe, we breathe with you. god bless you. ♪

♪ there's a name you can call on ♪ ♪ when you're lonely and your heart is filled with despair ♪ ♪ remember god cares for you ♪ and when you're in doubt and you can't find your way out ♪ ♪ he will see you through yes, he will ♪ ♪ see you through ♪ just call on the name of jesus ♪

♪ just call ♪ oh, how precious precious is his name ♪ ♪ when you're lonely and your heart is filled with despair ♪ ♪ he will care for you ♪ and when you're in doubt and you can't find your way out ♪ ♪ can i get one who will see you through ♪ ♪ just call on the name of jesus ♪ ♪ just call on his name

♪ how precious how wonderful precious is ♪ ♪ how precious how precious is the name of jesus ♪ ♪ i tell you he'll hear you every time ♪ ♪ oh, how precious is the name of jesus ♪ ♪ can i get a witness ♪ he'll lift you up his name is jesus jesus, jesus, jesus ♪ ♪ my joy in sorrow hope for tomorrow ♪

♪ jesus, jesus, jesus ♪ tremble at the name jesus ♪ at the name jesus ♪ jesus, jesus, jesus ♪ may way in, jesus my way out, jesus ♪ ♪ my way through, jesus ♪ power in the name power in the name jesus, jesus, jesus ♪

♪ the more i call him the better i see him ♪ ♪ jesus, jesus, jesus ♪ my protector, jesus my god, jesus ♪ ♪ jesus, jesus ♪ jesus, jesus ♪ jesus, jesus ♪ if you know him help me call him

jesus, jesus, jesus ♪ ♪ jesus, jesus, jesus ♪ oh, how precious precious is his name ♪ ♪ jesus, jesus ♪ jesus ♪ there's just something about that name ♪ ♪ call him mast er

savior, jesus ♪ ♪ to me it's like the fragrance after the rain ♪ ♪ oh, if you know his name help me call him, jesus, jesus ♪ ♪ let all heaven and earth procl proclaim ♪ ♪ kings and kingdoms shall all pass away but, there's something about that -- ♪ sometimes life can change suddenly and you find it

hard to even breathe ♪ ♪ so used to being strong now i'm barely hanging on ♪ ♪ we've got to stand tall or too many would fall ♪ ♪ what would people say if they knew we felt this way ♪ ♪ but god gave me this refrain ♪ ♪ and i'll never be the same ♪

♪ he would always be with us ♪ ♪ god is with us ♪ god is with us ♪ god is with us ♪ god is with us ♪ be of good courage be of good courage ♪ ♪ god is with us

♪ god is with us this is the promise. i will not leave you. ♪ i will not leave you ♪ even if you're feeling alone right now ♪ ♪ i will not leave you jesus said, i will not leave you ♪ ♪ neither will i forsake you i won't forsake you ♪ ♪ remember god is with us if you can right now, just sing that last line with me right now.

♪ god is with us >> amen. come on, church. say amen. kathy taylor. kathy taylor. i tell her all the time, she is houston's modern day mahalia jackson. at this time we're honored to have our dignitary speak. just before i ask them to call the names in the program, i want to ask all of the people, the political dignitaries that we have in houston, i want to ask you to stand just for a moment. i saw commissioner rodney ellis and so many others. chief aucevedo and parker. let us thank god for your service right now. adrian garcia, commissioner,

each and every one. at this time, the program calls for a video by vice president joe biden, and then we will hear from our own congressman al green. then our own congresswoman sheila jackson lee and then finally, the mayor of this fine city, mayor sylvester turner, in that order. god bless you. >> hello, everyone, on this day of prayer. where we try to understand god's plan in our pain. to george's family and friends, jill and i know the deep hole in your hearts when you bury a piece of your soul deep in this earth. as i've said to you privately, we know. we know you will never feel the same again. for most people, that numbness you feel now will slowly turn, day after day, season after season, into purpose. through the memory of the one they lost. but for you, that day has come

before you can fully grieve. and unlike most, you must grieve in public. and it's a burden. a burden that is now your purpose to change the world for the better in the name of george floyd. like so many others, i have watched with awe as you summon the absolute courage to channel god's grace and show the good man george was. to restore justice too long dormant. but among all the people around the world who feel connected to this tragedy are the ones who lost something that can never, ever be replaced. to george's children and grandchild, i know you miss your dad and granddad. gianna, as i said to you when i saw you yesterday, you're so brave. daddy's looking down. he's so proud of you. i know you miss that bear hug that only he could give.

the pure joy riding on his shoulders so you could touch the sky. the countless hours he spent playing any game you wanted because your smile, your laugh, your love is the only thing that mattered at the moment. i know you have a lot of questions, honey. no child should have to ask questions that too many black children have had to ask for generations. why? why is daddy gone? looking through your eyes, you should also be asking ourselves, why the answer is so often too cruel and painful. why in this nation do too many black americans wake up knowing that they could lose their life in the course of just living their life? why does justice not roll like a river of righteousness like a mighty stream? why? ladies and gentlemen, we can't turn away. we must not turn away.

we cannot leave this moment thinking we can once again turn away from racism that stings at our very soul. from systemic abuse that still plagues american life. as thurgood marshall once implored, america must dissent from indifference. it must dissent from fear, the hatred and mistrust. america can do better. america has no choice but to do better. i grew up with catholic social doctrine which taught me that faith without works is dead. and you will know us by what we do. ladies and gentlemen, we've got to deal with the denial of the promise of this nation to so many people for so long. it's about who we are, what we leave and who we want to be to ensure that all men and women are not only created equal but

are treated equally. we can heal this nation's wounds. and remember its pain. not callous the heart and forget. i know reverend sharpton is there in houston with you. rev, i want ytched you speak fr ecleeseiasties last week. every time there is a time and purpose and season under the heavens. but today, now is the time. the purpose, the season to listen and heal. now is the time for racial justice. that's the answer we must give to our children when they ask why. because when there's justice for george floyd, we will truly be on our way to racial justice in america. and then, as you said, gianna, your daddy will have changed the world. may god be with you, george floyd, and your family. in the words of a hymn from my

church based on the 91st psalm, may he raise you up on eagles wings, bear you on the breath of dawn and make you to shine like the sun and hold you in the palm of his hands. god bless you all. god bless you all. ♪ >> to this family, the floyd fami family, to reverend al sharpton, the voice for the hopeless, help for the helpless and power to the powerless.

i think he merits some love for all the things that you do. to attorney crump who takes on the cases that many people would conclude are lost causes, but you do it, and you win because you fight. i think you deserve some love. [ applause ] just a few more. we are honored today here in the 9th congressional district to have the chairperson of the conscience of the congress. the honorable karen bass is with us. she has traversed some distance. would you please show her and the members of the cbc. this is my congressional district. i want all of the congresspeople who are here to stand, please. show them some love. my colleague jackson lee is here. thank you.

to mayor turner, my dear friend and fraternity brother. to judge hidalgo, the commissioners. to all of the members of the council. and i want to say a special word about another great american who is here with us today. one whose name means helper of human kind. one who was there with dr. king. one who is the father of the civil rights movement right here in houston, texas. one that we know and love. the honorable william alexander lawson. he deserves some love! he is in the house today. the honorable william alexander, helper of human kind, lawson. ♪

i missed commissioners ellis and garcia. to you as well, dear brothers. to the friends and family again, i'm not here today as a democrat. we're not here as republicans. we are not here because we are rich or poor. we're not here because we're conservative or liberal. we are here because pastor wright was so right when he said we have no extendibles in our community. george floyd was not expendible. this is why we're here. his crime was that he was born black. that was his only crime. george floyd deserved the dignity and the respect that we accord all people simply because they are children of a common

god, and it's very unfortunate that we have to be here. but we're going to celebrate the life of george floyd today. and to the family, it's important that i say this to you. we who are here today are here to say we stand with you. we will be there for you. let's let them know they are not alone. let's give them some love. let's say to this family, we are here to stay. say it for the family, please, with some love. give them some love, please, the family. i believe you can do better than that. if you love them and you know it, why don't you stand up and show it. let's make it clear that we are here for them, that we will make it known to the world that they are not going to suffer because we are going to support them. and finally this, members of

congress have the privilege of having flags flown over the capitol. we do it for important occasions, important people. but i want you to know this. i had this flag flown over the capitol because i want the united states of america to respect george floyd. that's why this flag was flown. i want the united states of america to show him the respect that he richly earned simply because he was born in this country because he's a human being and because he is not expendable. that's why this flag was flown. and i have a resolution that will be presented to the family. and this resolution will become a part of the records of the

congress of the united states of ameri america. this resolution is going to say to those who look through the vista of time that at this time there lived one among us who was a child of god who was taken untimely, but we are going to make sure that those who look through time, that they will know that he made a difference within his time because he changed not only this country, not only the united states. he changed the world, george floyd changed the world. and we're going to make the world know that he made a difference. dear brothers and sisters, we have a duty and responsibility and obligation not to allow this to be like the other times.

we have a responsibility to not only george floyd but to all of those other persons. breonna taylor. we have a responsibility to each one of them. to make sure that we do not walk away today after having celebrated his life and not taken the next step to commemorate and to assure the future generations that this won't happen again. it's time. so brothers and sisters, the congressional black caucus has done something. it's historic. the honorable karen bass under her leadership, we have now a law that makes it against the law to put your foot on the neck

of a person. it's against the law. you can't have a no-knock law. it's against the law. you are going to have to wear your body cameras. it's against the law. the congressional black caucus is making a difference. but i believe there's one more thing that we ought to do to make a difference. we have got to have reconciliation. this country has not reconciled its differences with us. we survived slavery but we didn't reconcile. we survived segregation, but we didn't reconcile. we're suffering discrimination because we didn't reconcile. it's time for department of reconciliation in the highest land, the highest office. it's time to have someone who is going to make it his or her business to seek reconciliation for black people in the united states of america every day of his life. that's what it is all about.

it's time for us to reconcile. we need a department of reconciliation. god bless you. god bless the united states of america. >> just before congresswoman sheila jackson lee comes, let me tell you, we have a gate time at the cemetery for 3:00. and i want us to be conscious of the fact we've got a long, drawn-out program here, and i want to give the guest speaker an opportunity to have what he has to say. i want to give the family certainly an opportunity to say what they have to say and the preachers that are on program to say what they have to say. so i'm asking all of you, if you would just be brief, brothers and sisters, be brief. amen. amen. we've got to get through this. they have to get to the cemetery before 3:00, and you know that's a long entourage going that way. so i'm asking you to be sensitive to everybody that's coming behind you. and let's try to keep it to the two-minute rule, okay?

let's do as best we can. i'm going to forgo my remarks today. i can speak to the family at a later time and tell them and encourage them. i want to give an opportunity to make sure that all the family's requests are met. so i'm asking you, when you come forward, please, please, please, be sensitive to two minutes, okay? god bless you. god bless you. encourage you all. >> this is a time for the family. this is a time for the healing of the wound of the pain that no one else in this place can walk and feel at this time. to the floyd family, let me acknowledge your pain.

let me come as a humble servant to be able to respect and to give dignity. to the ages that the ex-slaves' descendants have faced in this nation. let me heal the wound of the majority of african-american men who have suffered at the hands of the wrong mind-set, a warrior mind-set instead of a guardian of peace mind-set in the practice of law enforcement. but it is your time today. in keeping with that moment, allow me to offer these words. we know that centuries ago, they

took a man, wicked man, put him on the cross. they did not understand that though they were intending wickedness that out of much intention of wickedness came goodness. your loved one, george floyd, this secular world failed in its duty to intervene. failed in its duty to act. and failed in its duty to aid. but george floyd answered the question in death when it was asked in isaiah, lord, who should i send? o god, have mercy on us. there was a tall man by the name of big floyd who stood up and

said, lord, send me. and so as we come today, people of statute, those who humble themselves before god, we come to pay tribute to a man who said, send me. and i want to acknowledge those young marchers in the streets. they, many of them, could not be in this place. they are black and brown. they are asian. they are white. they are protesting and marching, and i am saying, as a mama, i hear your cry. that is what george floyd wanted us to know. and i guess he wanted us to know, family, about holmes and

jack yates. somebody might have said what good comes out of nazarus. somebody else would have said what good comes out of 3rd ward. i am so grateful today to be able to say a man by the name of big floyd walked amongst us down those community home blocks, went on up to that crimson and red and began to mentor and make a legacy that no one can deny. i want you to know, my friends, that as these members of congress give me a moment, chairmanwoman karen bass, the congressional black caucus, leadership barbara lee, congressman hank johnson,

congresswoman lizzie fletcher, congressman gonzalez, congresswoman sylvia garr seeia. congressman from new mexico, they're across the nation. they are here because they're honoring a brother who came out of the heart of third ward and jack yates. they are here to honor that leadership. so as i conclude, george floyd was here on an assignment it is painful to be able to accept that. i'm so sorry i know him in death, but he was here on an assignment. some folk on assignment only get to stay 30 years. when you wicked men thought they had done something, george floyd took it 46 years he walked this

journey. he left behind sisters and brothers who can stand up against the adversity of life when the camera came and people asked to p.j. and others, what do you want? we want justice. we want justice. and so, my friends, i don't know if i'll ever get 8:46, reverend sharpton, out of my dna. i don't know if i will ever be able to overcome the words "i can't breathe." eric garner's mother and trayvon martin's mother, all the mothers, i can't breathe, but i will say that the assignment of george floyd and the purpose

will mean there will be no more 8:46 of police brutality. there will be no more 8:46 of injustice and the mistreatment of african-american men at the hands of the laws of this nation and anyone else. there will be no more 8:46 that you will be in pain without getting justice. his assignment turned into a purpose, and that purpose was around the world that there are people rising up that will never sit down until you get justice. so i say to all of those who are he here, from senator myles, fromm down, as rosa parks said, until justice comes.

what was done for wicked, for those who mourn that day that we know, came to a day where man rose. so i say to george floyd, it will be up to us that his purpose and his assignment for the justice of this nation, for the fact that there will never be the brutality faced by a man that says i can't breathe and calls to a mama who loved him so. that is the call for all of us. as the lord and the scriptures said, when asked who should i send, the first who said "send me" was george floyd. are they going to be able to or he going to be able to have each and every one of you say "send me." to god be the glory for all the

things he as done. got bless the family and god bless george floyd and the united states of america. god bless. we pray for you. we have a flag that will be given up on behalf of the speaker of the house nancy pelosi. this family will receive presidential letters from former president barack obama and former president bill clinton. reverend, thank you for all that you do. god bless you. ♪ ♪ and to reverend al sharpton, all of the other college clerg

the families, and certainly to this particular family, let me just adopt and incorporate all that you have already heard into this presentation. let me just briefly say, on behalf of the city of houston, let me thank this family for standing in the gap for your brother, your father, your brother, your family member, and let me thank you for your courage and your strength in representing him and representing yourselves extremely well. then i want to thank you on behalf of this city for seeking justice for george while at the same time asking people all around the world to do it respectfully and peacefully. on behalf of this city, i think we owe a great deal of gratitude to this family.

i want to say thank you. let me just say to you that people all over the world and elected officials on all levels are doing things that they otherwise might not have done, had not done, because of your -- because of george. you know, i announced in this city i would be creating a task force on policing reform, but at the same time that we'll work things through and get things done within a 90-day period. as i speak right now, the city attorney is drafting an executive order, an order that i will sign when i get back to city hall, and what that order will say is that in this city, we will ban chokeholds and strangleholds. in this city we will require

deescalation. in this city, you have to give a warning before you shoot. in this city, you have a duty to interve intervene. in this city, we will require comprehensive reporting. in this city, you must exhaust all alternatives before shooting. and there will be other things in this executive order. but i want you to know, it goes beyond just policing, because i have been talking with business owners and ceos over the last several weeks. what i have said to them, when we invest in communities that have been underserved and underinvested in, when we haven't done the investment, then you don't have to spend as much on policing, if you take the necessary funds and invest in our communities. so i want you to know and this family to know that we

appreciate, we appreciate everything that you all have done. lastly, i will say this -- george and his family, rearing up in houston, third ward, coming out of -- homes, who would have thought his name would be mentioned in south africa, canada, nairobi, berlin, south korea, europe? a person who may not have been known by many before, but with evil, god has turned it into good. we honor him, reverend sharpton, not because he was perfect, but we honor him because when he took his last breath, the rest of us will breathe. sylvester turner, mayor of

houston, proclaim as george terry day in the city of houston. god be the glory for the good he has done. ♪ ♪ come on, to god be the glory.

to god be the glory, for the devil speaking for evil, god speaks for good. this is the homegoing celebration today, and celebrate a man, and god has used this man to expand his name throughout the world to make change. amen, amen, and men. god bless you for all our dignitaries. mayor turner, i think you're a preacher. you have a job when you finish your term here in the city of houston. we thank god for his leadership, amen amen. the program calls for another video montage that's about to occur. we thank god for the young lady who has put them together, these videos. amen, come on, somebody is still celebrating. for the things he has done, oh, yes, jesus.

angie hill is the video artist who has put together these montages, but i want to ask the members of the family, if you would please make your way to the stage, cath lynn mcgee, brady bob, travis cain, and mr. cyril white. as they come up, there's a tribute being sun by r&b artist neo. followed by one of the jack yates alumnae offering a poem. and then another musical selection "my soul has been anchored in the lord," mr. michael todd, god bless you. family come up as we are ready to receive you. ♪

♪ my world needs you right now ♪ my world needs you right now ♪ i can't escape ♪ being afraid ♪ fill me with you right now ♪ my world needs you right now ♪ show me a face ♪ fill up this space ♪ my love needs you right now ♪ my love needs you right now ♪ i can't escape ♪ being afraid ♪ fill me with you right now

my love needs you right now ♪ ♪ i'll wait -- ♪ a sound that points us to you right now ♪ ♪ it raised us to you right now ♪ ♪ fix what i see ♪ and got please fix me ♪ my world needs you right now ♪ let us see you right now ♪ show me a face ♪ fill up this space ♪ my world neither you right now ♪ ♪ my world needs you right now ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ that's where the power is ♪ you have all of the authori authority ♪ ♪ our the king of kings ♪ lord of lords ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ show me a face ♪ come fill this space ♪ my world needs you right now ♪ my world needs you right n now ♪ ♪

♪ welcome, everyone. i am george floyd's aunt. i'm also -- just give me a minute. i just want to thank everybody, and i would like to thank the whole world for what it has done for my family today, especially george. i just wanted to make this statement -- the world knows george floyd. i know perry junior.

he was a pistol, a rascal, but we all love him. i want to thank all the mothers here today, as you had a nephew, an uncle, just hug them and just let them know. we are for all these young black men that are coming up in this world today, and just hug them and love them, because we don't ever know when the time will come. i just want to thank each and every one of you. i have gained such a huge family all over the world. i have so many sisters and brothers now. i have aunts and uncles. i just want to thank you all. there's too many names to remember, but god knows in his

heart that i love this floyd family, i love my sister, and i can't talk about george perry junior unless i bring up his mother's name. everyone knows her as miss sissy in third ward, texas. i just want to say i love you, i love all the support, and my family knows i do. and we all are one. thank you. >> yes. yes. >> i just want to say i'm going to miss my brother a whole lot

and -- i want to say, i love you, and i thank god for giving me the superman. god bless you all. >> first off, i want to say hello, my name is brook williams, george floyd's niece and i can breathe. as long as i'm breathing, justice will be served for perry. thank you all for coming owl to support george perry floyd. he was a father, brother, uncle and cussing, spiritually grounded. he always moved people with his words. the officer showed no remorse

for watching his soul leave his body. he pleaded just to get up, but you just pushed harder. why must the system be corrupt and broken? laws are already in place for the african-american system to fail. these laws need to be changed. no more hate crimes, please. someone said make america great again, but when has america everen great? those four officers were literally on him for nine minutes and none of them showed a heart on you soul. this is not just murder, but a hate crime. i share happy memories with my uncle. that's all i have, are memories. i still can't pull myself together for how he was calling out my grandma's name. she was right there with open

arms saying come home, baby. you shouldn't feel this pain, no one should feel this pain. my most favorite memory was when he paid me to scratch his head after long days of work. we even created a song about it, scratch my head, scratch my head, yeah. but after that, i knew he was a comedian. he always told me, baby girl, you're going to go so star with that beautiful smile and brains of yours. another favorite memory is when me and my grandmother was so worried. she was crying. all i remember is saying, granny, it's okay, we'll find a way. i wasn't entirely sure how we would get to my uncle's -- we had no way to contact anyone because my uncle busting through the door like superman. i was young, by the way, probably 10 or 11. my grandmother was also handicapped. he had this big -- i was

wondering how was my grandma going to get into the truck, but he just placed her in the truck like it was light works. i never questioned his strength, but it was unbelievable how they always made their children smile and made a way when it seemed impossible. quote tupac -- american, it's time for a change. even if it's more protests. no justice, no peace. thank you, houston, always a great hometown.

>> i really don't know what to say after my niece, but she told the whole story, but i wake up the middle of the night thinking about my brother a live, because i couldn't believe it at first, but i see it now. all i think about is when he was yelling for mama, and i know how our mama is she's right there, goes her hand wide open. every mama felt that, but when he yelled, please, please, i can't breathe, i stopped

wearing -- i wanted to breathe. i went to memorials, no tie. i could have had one on, but right now, i want justice for my brother, my big brother. that's big floyd. everybody knows who big floyd is now. third ward, cuny homes, that's where we were born at, but everybody will remember him around the world. he's going to change the world. my mom, if she was here today, i honestly can say this, that she will be on that casket right now trying to get in there with him. she's a real mom, a real mom. she's not going to separate from anybody. she's just like animals.

they cling to their mom. i love you all. you all showed a lot of support. i'm speechless right now. good afternoon. my name is cyril white. i am the director of god be to glory sports. before i came to director of god be to glory sports, i met george floyd. i spent so many summers playing basketball. he had a good friend mike riggs, and we would go get big floyd and we would be at the parks, wherever we can go to find a good game. fast forward to 1998, i started a college exhibition tour team touring around the country,

going to play different colleges in exhibition games. big floyd, that was my first power forward. i would be calling around trying to get contracts with the different schools, the coach would ask me who is your big man? i would say, george floyd. o. you got big floyd? your team must be pretty good. we would go off and play. he also recruited a load of guys from the third ward and the homes, so it's been established how an avid sports fan he was. i was sharing earlier this week that i have already secured a commitment for three acres of land here in houston to go a george floyd memorial sports cent center. oh, yeah. i just kept thinking about what could i do? i had a lot of support from

around the world, from my different sponsors. yes, i had one guy step up and say, i can definitely provide the real estate, we just work on the vertical and the improvements. that's where we are with that. one thing that we did, and i'm going to get out of here hass and god be to glory sports, we read the proverbs. that was our spiritual exercise in trying to grow in practical wisdom. everybody read two verses out loud and passed the bible to the next guy, right? so sylvester turner, our honorable mayor said today is george floyd today, so i'm going to read proverbs, chapter 6, verses 9 through 11. this is big floyd speaking. it says -- how long will you lie there you slugger? when will you get up from your sleep? a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on you like the thief and scarcity like an affirmed man.

i can definitely see how george floyd has woken us up from sleep. we're not slum berg anymore. the poverty and scarcity talked about, that is how we treat each other, humanity, we are poor in humanity. we are poor in empathy, but i can feel that everyone will rise, rise against injustice, and be sure that all human beings are treated the same so that george floyd's memoli will not by in vain. to the family, thank you for allowing me to speak, and god be to glory to you all. thank you very much. ♪ you know, hearing everyone speak thus far about big floyd, i mean, great brother, got a

great family on the stage, great family in this church house today, the whole extended family, fountain of praise church, thank you, everybody. i'm being strong for my family, and one thing about big floyd, he would tell me, little bro, be stro strong. be thankful day to day, and just celebrate his life in happiness. he wouldn't want us weeping so hard. i'm trying, but it's very hard. i have so many great memories, story to tell, but they're just getting stuck inside. again, you know, hmm -- no, no, i got it. oh, man. one of the things on my mind, honestly, we've to seek justice out for my brother.

we're going to get it together. everyone in this church, all the great men and women in this town. thank you very much, sheila jackson, thank you. e. green a eric green and the rest of you guys, thank you for calling and giving comfort. and everyone in the world for the major support and love that you're all sharing. everybody sharing these beautiful pictures, thank you. we're going to keep this fight on, we're going to do it together, and we're going to finish it together. unite d we stand. thank you to everyone who came, showing the love. one more time, his life mattered, all our lives what's

his name? >> george floyd. first, i want to give all honor and praise as to god, for giving me a chance in life to meet my little brother, for giving him his first security job my little brother was a friend, he was a mentor, he was a father, he was a basketball player, he's a football player, but most of all, he was a human being. if i tell you i never could say no to this kid, out of all the trials and tribulations that we

go through, what we went through, all the times he made me mad, everybody mad, we still love him. i couldn't say no so when i family came to me and asked me, are you going to speak? i will speak, i will keep on speaking, i will fight, i will fight, i will fight, because i've been fighting for him and will keep on fighting for him. you know, we ask ourselves who we meet and encounter in life. i came encountered with, and if you knew him, he was a ghetto angel. a ghetto angel. you know, you hate evil, but you

love good. where my brother was, my little bro, was good. you can't slam his name with me. you can't talk about him to me. i knew him. if you knew flo, if you knew floyd, if you knew -- you understand the words coming out of my mouth. i ask you, fight for my brother, help me fight for the brother, helped family fight for my brother, because he was someone. i thank you, the family thank you, and i will not give up on you, bro. i love you, little brother, and i gotcha. ♪

usual be giving glory to god right now on your feet. give god the glory. give floyd the glory. give his kids the glory. give his family the glory. to my pastor, i love you. amelia, i love you too. my frat brother. george floyd, anybody in here play football for jack yates, or

george floyd was an all-american tight end. george floyd was a power forward. i'm speak on behalf of my brother, blood, suite and tears, it's hot outside. it's hot in the gym. not one time did i ever see george floyd complain. not one time. he without sin cast the first stone. huh? he wow s-- without sin cast the first stone. you want the real today, right? my brother, he's sitting here. he didn't have to be sitting here today. those men that stood on my

brother's neck changed the world they took somebody from us that was great. when i say great, i never heard him complain, not one time. he was an umbrella to all of us. he was 6'6'6". from the home to jack yates high, he was everybody's shelter. everybody's shelter. i don't care what george floyd did. i don't care. let me tell you all something, he was a human being first of all. i couldn't sleep monday night. i don't know why. i couldn't sleep. i was tossing and turning memorial day in my bed. i don't know why. as i woke up the next morning and got so many texts, and i said, what?

i haven't even seen the whole tape. it hurts my heart, you all. we're all hurting in america right now. am i right or wrong? but one thing, but god, but god. all we need right now is what? love. turn to your neighbor and tell them you love them. that's all we need. you see how that feels? george floyd told me he loved me. he told everybody out here that he touched that he loved them. george floyd is love. that's who george floyd is. this is for him. we love him. if you love george floyd and you know how george floyd was with you, you know you're going to

always be george floyd. i am george floyd. you are george floyd. there could have been any one of us? here, but god, god said, well done, floyd. so as i sit here and tell you all right now, george floyd is in the bosom of god. he's in the bosom of god. he's all right, you all. so i'm here to tell you all, stay positive, america. there's a debt you have to repay, but god said, huh-uh, not this dead, you'll have to repay it. this is the last. as i sit here and see so many people coming together, so many races, i say, you know what? because of the love of george floyd, we are all here together today. so make sure you turn to -- you never know how long we've got, you all. you never know. the key is love. i love you all.

i'm out. ♪ hey, what's going on, everybody? much love and strength to the family of george floyd. much love and strength to the family members that are here. with anybody who's lost, 50 states, 50 states are protesting at the same time. this man changed the world. he changed the world for the boesch, so i want to personally

thank george floyd for his sacrifice so that my kids can be -- later on. i appreciate. i appreciate the sacrifice, my brother. sorry, i didn't come up here to talk. all right. ♪ how do i say good-bye to what we had ♪ sorry, you all. ♪ the good times that made us laugh are way back ♪ ♪ i thought we would get to see forever ♪

♪ but forever's gone away ♪ it's so hard to say good-bye -- ♪ to yesterday ♪ i don't know where this road is going to lead ♪ ♪ all i know is where we've been and what we've been through ♪ ♪ if we get to see tomorrow

♪ i hope it's worth all the pain ♪ ♪ it's so hard to see good-bye to yesterday ♪ ♪ and i'll take with me the memories to be my sunshine after the rain ♪ ♪ it's so hard to say good-bye to yesterday ♪ >> god bless. the

♪ may name is arnesia. i'm honored to share what george floyd meant to our alumnae jack yates senior high school, our community, of course his children, family, hi friends, and now the world.

3260 trusillo is where it all began. if you could carry the whole community on your back, or work to help your fam, you do it with your bare hands. to make a way out, your gift with the ball, helped to create your vision and infiltrate a plan. and now, beyond the streets of third ward, your legacy will stand. your children will be honored to witness your contributiriontrib firsthand. you didn't make excuses, but stood tall and accepted your responsibilities, like a real man. such a gentle giant, although his 6'6" statue could intimidate

some men. your smile was your way of creating an openness, greeting a stranger with your hand. always repping h-town, you know what i'm sayin'? call all hands to action to take a stand against violence and rebuke it. while you were working and traveling from coast to coast, sometimes met with oppositions, but still so inspiring and filled with so much hope. everyone listened when you spoke. familiar faces became family, and not just blood made them kinfolk. but there's a message in it all, because all of us are beyond woke. the pinnacle for you is something we will never know.

undoubtedly, though, the seeds you planted will manifest and fully grow. only succeed bring the world together, george floyd. a life, a vip to a sold-out show. my prayers, condolences and love to the family. we will forever honor george floyd. thank you. ♪ to my nephew, p.j., my niece and the rest of the family, there's peace behind this. there's love behind this.

although a storm was raising, you had no idea. someone has just changed the whole world, and he happened to be in your family. i have sung this song so many times at so many funerals and homegoings. this is one that touched me right here. ♪ though the storms keep on raging in my life ♪ ♪ sometimes it's hard to tell the nights from days ♪ ♪ still that hope that lies

within us reassures ♪ ♪ as i keep my eyes upon the distant shore ♪ ♪ i know you're there ♪ you say it too ♪ that blessed place he has ♪ but if the storms don't cease ♪ ♪ and if the wind keep blowing in my life ♪ ♪ my soul has been anchored in the lord ♪

♪ though the storms keep on raging in my life ♪ ♪ and sometimes it's hard to tell the nights from days ♪ ♪ still that hope that lies within is -- the shore ♪ ♪ as i keep my eyes on the shore ♪ ♪ i know he'll lead me safely to that blessed place he has prepared ♪ ♪ for though the storms don't

cease ♪ ♪ and if the wind keeping blowing in my life ♪ ♪ my soul has been anchored in the lord ♪ ♪ oh i realize sometimes in my life i'm being tossed ♪ ♪ by the wind that seems so fierce ♪ ♪ but in the way of god i have an anchor ♪

♪ it keeps me unmovable in his eye ♪ ♪ but thoughs storms -- the wind keeps on blowing in my life ♪ yeah ♪ ♪ my soul has been -- i said my soul has been anchored in the lord ♪ ♪ yeah yeah ♪ yeah yeah ♪ yeah yeah ♪ my my soul has been averagered ♪ ♪ my soul has been anchored ♪ statistic seas may rise

♪ but that's all right because he told me there ♪ ♪ my soul has been anchored ♪ my soul has been anchored. ♪ ♪ my soul has been anchored ♪ the clouds in the sky ♪ that's all right because he is my lord ♪ ♪ my soul has been anchored ♪ my soul has been anchored ♪ my soul has been anchored ♪ my soul has beeni anchored in the lord ♪

♪ >> come on, you can do better than that. my soul has been anchored. alleluia, thank you, my friend. let me, before i introduce ought pastors and people here, let's thank the brothers of islam who have done a wolf job with the securi -- wonderful job with the security. thank you all of those who are pastors and preachers. listen, i know that sometimes people have their problem with preachers, but in times like these, preachers can be a major support. they're needed, they're needed. we thank god for these brothers and sisters who work in the work of god. we have three preachers that are

going to speak to us today. first of all, he's an icon in this city, certainly a civil rights leader and activist for many, many years, i can't wait from here in the person of bill lawson. and then after him, we are a city of diversity. we are a city of diversity. we are striving, endeavoring every way we can to make sure that all people are represented and we can continue to fight the injustices that are throughout this country. so we also have pastor steven wells speaking for us. he does a wonderful jock down at m -- job down at midtown houston, and the pastor of the church without walls. they're spell in that order.

>> to this family, who hopefully has been comforted by the many people who have come today and who have given to us a portrait of the man we only knew through the news, but who we now know not only as a human being, but as a great human being, we're glad you have to known george floyd. to all those who will come out today, and i'm personally proud that you have come, many more came but couldn't get in. but that many people wanted to come. i see that you have destroyed all laws of social distancing. thanks to pastpastor, who said,

let's forget that right now. we are christians. he asked us to stay at two minutes. i don't know that we can do that, but let's work on it. today i want to say that it is marvelous that this young man -- he's 46, but he's young -- that this young man has done what he has done to let us know who george floyd was. i'm glad to know that in his last moment of breath, he called for his mother. that means something about who he was. he came up in a family that was close and that loved each other.

i heard from people who knew him as a student, fellow student and athlete, who realized he also was a team player. finally, he was a person who knew the lord and who believed in him, and who trusted him. people have been wondering whether or not this is going to be like other movements. i came to this city in 1955, which was the year that the body of emmett till was found in a body of water in mississippi. same year that rosa parks refused to give up the backseat on the bus. it was that year that i came to houston. since that time, i have seen any

number of struggles against racism. and they have all ended up with relatively little outcome, so it's a reasonable question -- is this going to be just like so many other movements. a moment of anger and range, thn back to business as usual? you could say that, because the prejudiced and the bigoted are not going to change. but we can do some things to change them. that's what i hope we will do. first of all, we can make slur that we don't stop the fight. that we stay with it, and that we make sure that somebody knows

that we are not going to stand for this to keep on going. obviously the first thing that we have to do is to clean out the white house. that has to come closer to us in washington, our states and counties and cities have to have good leadership. and that means we have to go and vote. [ applause ] >> but you know a young man from humble beginnings can change the world.

i don't know -- partly because george floyd came from humble beginnings and now as many speakers have said, everybody on earth knows who george floyd is. he was a man of no rank or title, he was a man who came from humble beginnings, but god has done some things even through this tragedy that has let the world about big floyd. big george. you know there was a man who was humble, came from humble beginning s -- but he was a

stable in nazareth and that man didn't have a home and his wife was about to have a baby and since he didn't have a home, there was no bed. for her to have that baby in. but in that stable there was a -- and he went to that manger and gave forth a baby. and that baby didn't have any title either. he lived at a time when the roman government was making it very hard for jews. and he was murder ed legally, bt

he was murdered. the interesting thing is, that from that death comes our churches. and as we take the lord supper ever how much we do that, we remember his flesh and his blood and how long are we going to say "i can't breathe"? but now, as i look at marches all over the world, protests filling up the streets, and back in the days when i used to be part of marches, all of marches were black. but, now, there are white people

who know the story and there are his p hispanics who know the story and there are asians who know the story. today sh today, preachers back there and there is at least one lutheran minister who is here, i brought with me a jewish fella. and all the cultures, all the races throughout the world, all of the nations throughout the world, all of the continents throughout the world, they know the name of this -- this man, who was born in a stable, and

so, you can raise the question, can any good thing come out of a tragedy like this? we've lost a loved one and the pain is almost unbearable. what good can come out of that? well, the murder of a man on a cross, has come a movement worldwide and everyone iman from the muslim faith, every rabbi from the jewish religion, all of us know the name of george floyd. and we know the name because of a death. you think something good can't come out of this. his death didn't simply start a

bunch of good speeches, a bunch of tributes, out of his death -- out of his death has come a movement. a worldwide movement. [ applause ] >> and this movement is not going to stop after two weeks, three weeks, a month, that movement is going to change the world, which means that this boy, born in a manger, born in a stab stable, born in a situation where he lived in a ghetto, third ward. this boy is going to bring forth a demand for benefit government,

for -- for policing, he's going to bring forth a demand, a multicultural, multinational, worldwide demand for change. my hope is that we'll stay behind that demand. and while not everybody will be concerned about it continuing, at least the people from the hood will be concerned it's continuing. it will not end with this boy's death. he's 46. but i call him a boy. but that this shall continue, so that this movement will transform this corrupt world,

praise god for george floyd. [ applause ] ♪ ♪ thank you for the invitation to be here. i'm humble to be here. family, what a privilege to be with you today. the apostle john wrote this, there's no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear for fear has do with punishment. the one who fear because god first loved us. if anyone says i love god, and

yet hates his brother, he's a liar. because if you have not loved your brother who have seen, you cannot love god who you have not seen. and he's given us this command to anyone who loves god must also love his brother. this is the reading of god's word. you know, none of us wanted to be here today. you would have rather and we would have rather that george was home and safe but racism murdered him. racism is the reversal of the revelation of god. racism is not perfect love casting out fear, it's perfect fear casting out love. which means, overcoming racism will require a love that's greater and stronger than fear and only jesus offers us that love.

only living the jesus way offers us healing and we need healing, because you know and we know that nothing that any of us can say that will bring george floyd back. we grieve with you. and that your grief has awakened the conscience of the nation, and because we're here in god's house, in his church, we grieve know rez section hope. not a reunion someday a restoration and resurrection home that god is at work in our nation, bending the moral arc of the universe towards justice. i hope you know that everyone would have understood if you said we don't need to hear from any white people today. you've been silent long enough,

you can be silent one more day. but i have to tell you, you asked the whole community to come together. and look what happened. [ applause ] you have chosen the path of love, the path of perfect love that casts out fear and i want you to know that's the path not only to your own healing, it's the path to the healing of the whole world, it's the path of partnering with god in redeeming the world and it's a difficult path. you have been asked to carry a burden that would have crushed most people. and you have borne it with grace and courage. you called who disrupted prot t protests with looting to honor george's life with love. you called the president who sought to dominate to live in a peaceful world where we deliberate. you called those person who

perfect fear casts out love with a perfect love that casts out fear and you have been a model for not just america but for the whole world and now we just follow your good example. calling out anything that doesn't honor george or any of the rest of us, domination in justice, oppression, racism, the soci sociologist at rice university has taught us that houston, texas, is dem graphically today what america will be ethnically in 2050, which means we are the expert in america in how racists can get along. but unless and until we are willing to be as brave and as truthful as you have been, nothing will change. the experiment will not yield any new data.

we'll simply do over and over again what we have done over and over before, until what's been said, we get sick tired of being sick and tired. i have to tell you, at my church, it's easy to not talk about racism. at my church, it's easy to dismiss as politics the economics of hundreds of years of systemic racism but not talking and not acting is the path to destruction. and we can watch that on the news every night and ask if that's the future we want for ourselves. could i have the privilege -- i'd like to say a word to white churches -- we are better than we used to be but we are not as good as we ought to be and that's not good enough. which means, you have to take up

the work of racial justice, racism did not start in our lifetimes but racism can end in our lifetime. [ applause ] but only if you ask and i ask what am i going to do about it? while it's still bothering you, write down what you're going to do on a note card and tape on that mirror you see every morning you get up and every night when you go to bed. every morning ask, what can i do today to bring god's kingdom on earth as it in heaven. gianna, i saw you on tv and a reporter asked you what was the best thing about your daddy? you said, my daddy changed the world. if we do our part, you will have been a prophet.

so from your mouth to god's ear, amen. [ applause ] ♪ ♪ thank you, steve and dr. lawson and to this wonderful family that has demonstrated what it means to be faithful and courageous. all of us in our lives begin with obscurity. we don't know how it will end in history. no one thought on that january morning of the 15th day of 1929 that that boy would grow up to be the liberator to the movement called the civil rights. no one knew in august in 1961,

on the fourth day, in hawaii of all places, in obscurity that the first african-american president would be born. and nobody knew on october the 14th, 1973, in obscurity, in north carolina, bold and courageous migrating to houston had no idea and third ward, jack yates, that god had birthed someone that now belongs in a rightful place of history. we all begin in obscurity. we don't know where we'll land in history. the question of theology is

where was god in all of this? god was and is where god is always been, god didn't cause it but god can certainly use it. unfortunately, we've almost turned it into cliche, but it's christian bedrock belief that all things work together for the good of those who love the lord. so to this family today, god is working his way and he has been where he always will be. i leave you now with these words, we can't understand all of the ways that god would lead us to that promised land but he'll guide us with his eye and we'll follow him until we die and then we'll understand it better. [ applause ] ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ lord, offer praise and lord we

bless your name ♪ ♪ and we lift our voices to say thank you ♪ ♪ ♪ for your goodness and your mercy ♪ ♪ towards us ♪ for your goodness ♪ and your mercy towards us ♪ for your goodness and your mercy towards us ♪ ♪ we are give you praise

♪ oh, yes, we are praise ♪ oh lord, we give you praise ♪ and oh lord we bless your name ♪ ♪ and we lift our voice s just o say thank you ♪ ♪ for your foodness and your mercy ♪ ♪ toward us

♪ for your goodness and your mercy towards us ♪ ♪ for your goodness and your mercy toward us ♪ ♪ we offer praise ♪ because you are worthy, yes you are, jesus ♪ ♪ oh glory, even know worthy of, worthy of praise ♪

♪ for your goodness, jesus, and your mercy toward us ♪ ♪ for your goodness and your mercy toward us ♪ ♪ for your goodness and your mercy toward us ♪ ♪ >> come on, help me sing. ♪ ♪ for your glory

♪ worthy of all praise ♪ and your mercy and for your goodness, jesus ♪ ♪ for your goodness, your goodness, glory, and mercy ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ for your goodness, your goodness, your goodness, your go goodness ♪ ♪ good neness ♪

♪ your kindness ♪ your kindness ♪ your kindness ♪ your love ♪ ♪ ♪ for your richer or poorer, to death do us part ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ your goodness ♪ your goodness ♪ thank him for his goodness, his goodness ♪ ♪ your goodness, jesus ♪ your goodness ♪ for your goodness and your mercy ♪ ♪ for your goodness and your mercy ♪

♪ for your goodness and your mercy ♪ ♪ we offer, we offer >> can someone just offer god praise right now? he's still worthy. still deserved. we thank you, lord. praise, jesus. ♪ we offer praise ♪ we offer praise

♪ hallelujah >> someone praise him. ♪ hallelujah >> thank you, jesus. ♪ ♪ >> thank you. ♪ ♪

at the direction of singer pastor wright, program necessarily altered because of time factor. we appreciate the fact that it was difficult for everyone else to stay within that time limit. thank you, dr. wright for your auspicious leadership. my privilege and my honor today as we give honor to the family of george floyd, is to introduce today a man who needs no introduction but deserves one.

born october 3rd, 1954, al sharpton. [ applause ] grew up like most of us, raised like most of us, in church, his sunday schoolteacher had no idea who he was teaching, his pastor had no idea who he was preaching to, but since that time he's become a social justice activist, a civil rights leader, a talk show host, a commentator, a leader of movements, a world-changer, a freedom fig fighter, a preacher amongst

preachers. when officer chauvin put his knee on the neck of george floyd, he had no idea that the man whose life he was taking, would be important enough to have this preacher to preach his eulogy. he probably thought it would end quietly. in some obscure funeral home with a few people. but he had no idea that presidents of nations would -- would think and write about him and the preacher who would preach would be the greatest civil rights preaching voice of our time. and we talked much about how we changed things, but when god wants to change things he brings

a person to the earth. and when this preacher was birth, god knew there would be moments like this, take someone's voice to speak to truth to power, that would change the world. and i hope when we hear this preacher all america understands that, yes, we can change policies and legislation, but if we want to change this situation, white parents have to teach their boys to be brothers to black boys. we have to teach our daughters to be sisters, whether you're black, white or brown, because when george floyd was gasping for breath saying, i can't breathe, he was speaking for 400 years of africans in this country we couldn't breathe on the slave ships. we couldn't breathe in jim crow. we couldn't breathe through

segregation and mass incarceration. we couldn't breathe and that's been a preacher on the scene for the last four decades telling us americans we can't breathe. we can't breathe when trayvon martin and we can't breathe. this preacher is here today, in houston, texas, because george floyd died saying, i can't breathe. i want you to welcome the iconic preaching voice of the reverend al sharpton. our leader, our fighter, our freedom fighter, because of him, guess what, one day all of us are going to breathe better. let's welcome the reverend al sharpton.

first to this family, the whole family that has suffered this crime, i hear people talk about what happened to george floyd like there was something less than a crime. this was not just a tragedy, it was a crime. and this family has borne this, because this is a time that we need to understand that they're

going to do everything they can to delay these trials and delay the accountability and try to wear this family down. and many that are standing and coming today and grinning in front of cameras -- will not be here for the long run. we must commit to this family, all of these families, all five of his children, grandchildren and all, that understand these people paid for what they did that we're going to be there with them because lives like george floyd will not matter until somebody pays the cost for taking their lives.

we cannot just act like this is some new way of teaching sociology. we cannot act like this is some new need for some of us to add social justice to our programs on sunday morning. there is an intentional neglect to make people pay for taking our lives. if four blacks had done to one white, if four black cops had done to one white -- what was done to george, they wouldn't have to teach any newlessons, they would send them to jail and

until we know the price for black life is the same as the price for white life, we're going to keep coming back to these situations over and over again. either the law will work or it won't work. so i want to give honor to the family. and a commitment that we're going to be here for the long haul. when the last tv truck is gone, we'll still be here. i've gotten to know some of the family over the last few days, i've seen them cry in private. i've seen them talk. i told them i grew up, a black family, we always don't get along. i have some cousins watching me now who have never call me. that's what families are.

but i've always seen them in light moments. i'll never forget last week when the family that was there, talked with former president obama on the phone, and said we're not asking you to come because it will take the secret service and all that but we just want to thank you and your wife for calling and calling our name of our brother, our uncle, during the speeches you've been making and the president made the mistake of asking, what do you want me to do? just tell me where i could be helpful and philonise said two things, we want justice and in minneapolis, can you send me some food down here?

they only had finger food, everything was closed up. i want to also say, the reverend dr. wright, for opening the doors of this church. and putting arms around sabrina and her family at this hour. they notice it's going to be controversial in some circles, yet they opened the doors anyway, not knowing what would happen, not knowing how people would behave and i spoke with them on the phone and he welcomed this family i think we are giving them a lot of -- we should not take them for granted.

and i think that they are deserving of a lot of honor, he's a man and she's a woman of courage. we have too many holy punks in the pulpit. i'm al sharpton. i'm going to say what i got to say. give a hand to our past pastor. [ applause ] i also want to -- and i'll get into my eulogy so we can stay on time, but i must recognize attorney ben crump.

i call him black america's attorney general. probably because we feel we don't have one. ben crump has fought and stood for many cases, and he has with him with a legal team that will be acknowledged that are here, we should not take for granted, when black lawyers take these cases like crump has, they are targeted by their boss associations, they're targeted by people that are envious and jealous. we need civil rights lawyers that are there for civil rights. not for civil settlements. [ applause ] >> and that's why i give him recognition, i must also recognize several