Through his commitment to be of service, CCNA board member Tavares Floyd, George Floyd’s cousin, continues to make an impact on our community. We decided to share our article on Tavares Floyd again – published nearly a year ago – as the verdict in the trial of George Floyd’s death was rendered, offering, we hope, some modicum of comfort for him and his family.
The only change from when the article first ran, we learned, was the amount of time the police officer’s knee pressed George Floyd into the concrete. It actually was 9 minutes and twenty-nine seconds, an increase of 1 minute and twenty-three seconds.
Tavares Floyd, Esq. ~ Secretary, CCNA Board of Directors
The little Southern boy turned Civil Rights Attorney, non-profit CEO, and Community Advocate
The description above is one Tavares Floyd uses to describe himself. If he had a mantra, it would be ‘How Can I Help?’
“I knew from an early age exactly who I was and why I was placed on the Earth — to help people and to spread love. It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do,” he says.
A moment in time – 8 minutes and forty-six seconds – can make a difference.
Today, Floyd’s easy wide smile is strained and slower to appear. Together with the rest of the world, he watched in horror as his cousin George Floyd’s life ended, slowly and painfully, by the pressing of a knee on his neck. And worse, it was the knee of a police officer, sworn to protect and serve, seemingly unperturbed by George‘s pleas.
Seeing his cousin die this way was “overwhelming.” Tavares Floyd says he has experienced “the full range of emotions, from sorrow to anger; but now to an even deeper commitment to bring about change…”
Inspired by Congressman John Lewis’ life story, Floyd is even more committed to getting into “good trouble.”
Passionate and driven, he continues to lead marches for justice and takes part in town hall discussions to raise awareness and, more importantly, offer solutions.
In some ways, his life has come full circle.
Growing up in the South – he comes from Memphis – Floyd witnessed both blatant in- your- face racism as well as the more covert kind- concealed and painful. Still, he knew there was another, better way to life. His close-knit family not only valued but embraced equality, human rights, and social freedom. He admits he didn’t fully understand it all as a youth, certainly not to the level he does today. “But I knew I had to help change the world.”
Heading his own office, Floyd Legal Services, he is also Chief Executive Officer of the BeWell Project, an organization geared to empowering African Americans to take control of their health, wealth and community.
Wearing many hats, Floyd sits on several local boards, including CCNA, the Charles Houston Recreation Center, Living Legends of Alexandria, and the City of Alexandria’s Commission on HIV/AIDS, to name a few.
Recently, he helped to organize an Alexandria city-wide Career and Community Day.
Standing on the shoulders of so many, Floyd says one of his passions and priorities is to make life better for everyone, but especially for our youth, which is why he’s on CCNA’s Board. “This is an army of people, unapologetically committed to the education of our youth first. “
Celebrating 10 plus years of serving the community, CCNA is committed to ensuring racial, social, educational, and economic justice in Alexandria, VA and the surrounding region.
“CCNA, our students and their families need us now more than ever, and we are committed to be there for them 200%. “
We are all on the verge of change and must join together to redefine the new norm. Together, we can make a difference. Visit CCNAlexandria.org.
Previous CCNA ChangeMaker Awardees include Dr. Gregory Hutchings Jr., Superintendent, ACPS and Father Donald Fest, St. Joseph Catholic Church.
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