3 years on, George Floyd Square remains a pilgrimage destination, some traveling thousands of miles to visit
MINNEAPOLIS -- The intersection of 38th and Chicago Avenue served as a temporary classroom for the students of Nueva School Thursday.
A group of roughly 20 high school juniors, led by teachers and chaperones, traveled close to 2,000 miles to make it happen. Their school, based in San Francisco, picked a field trip to Minneapolis to explore the city's diversity in cultures.
It culminated with a trip to George Floyd Square.
"It's one thing to watch a video, it's another thing to see it in person," said student Ben Jonker. "(It's important) to see all the flowers that have been laid. And see all the art and how many people are here."
The students, who were in 8th grade when former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin murdered Floyd, say the trip was an emotional experience.
"To come here, to recognize all the people that have come through here, brought flowers, that are part of this community, I think makes it a lot more real," said student Adam Kan.
Local guides Georgio Wright and Kendrick White led the students. The two started giving "pilgrimage" tours of the area in 2020.
"We've had a lot of people come in from out of town," Kendrick White said. "It's a journey. We're taking you on a journey. We're taking you through stories, through events of people's actual lives and what they went through that's instrumental to them."
RELATED: Chief O'Hara: Police must reckon with "despicable" fact that an MPD officer murdered George Floyd