Transcripts For KNTV NBC News Special America In Crisis 20240712

Pandemic, an economic crisis and a deep uncertainty. This is an nbc news special report america in crisis. Good evening, im lester holt in minneapolis. Ten days ago george floyd was known only to his family and friends. Today he was mourned and celebrated in a nationally televised memorial service. It continues tonight at the intersection not far from here where he died. His name is known around the world. The latest in a lit of africanamerican men who have fallen victim to Police Brutality. His death has triggered a national outpouring of grief and anger and a growing resolve that tragedies like this never happen again. Tonight, peaceful protests continue across the country. Even around the world as many call for change. It all comes at a perilous point in our country. We have seen this before. But now in 2020, we are seeing all of it all at once coming at us. We are in uncharted territory. Tonight, we will look at how we got here and whats at stake. And we will meet some of the people who are making a difference. We have our Coverage Team standing by across the country to report on where things stand right now. We begin with a look at what has been an extraordinary day in this country, america in crisis. For ten days protesters across the country have stood shoulder to shoulder and raised their voices to say no more. I wont be satisfied until i can wake up and have kids and have them not fear their lives just for being black. They have been marching in the name of george floyd whose shocking death under the knee of former Police Derek Chauvin sparked the protest. Today, the focus returned to minneapolis as floyd was eulogized at a stirring memorial service. Reverend al sharpton gave the eulogy and a rallying cry for change. This is the time. We wont stop. Were going to keep going. Floyds family stood to believe remembering him as a little boy. Played video games together. Go outside and, you know, play catch with the football. Who grew into a loyal and loving man. He would stand up for his family and friends. And he is great at that. I want you to know he would stand up for any injustice. Then the congregation observed eight minutes and 48 seconds of silence. The time george floyd was under the knee of a Police Officer. Later, floyds family visited the scene where he died. The somber moment comes on the heels of a new charge against chauvin. He now faces Second Degree murder. Even as george floyd was memorialized, three other former officers involved appeared in a Minneapolis Court today on charges of aiding and abetting the murder. News of the expanded charges had been received enthusiastically by many on the streets. We got all four. A stark contrast to days ago when looters and outside agitators took advantage of the moment to create utter chaos. President trump responded to that chaos monday with a warning. If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then i will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them. Even as he spoke, soldiers and police using flash bangs and chemical agents cleared a peaceful protest outside the white house to make way for a president ial photo op. The tactic sparked outrage, including from a former member of the president s inner circle. Yesterday, former defense secretary james mattis wrote in a statement that President Trump is, quote, the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the american people, does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us. Current defense secretary mark esper gave a press conference seeming to reject the president s call for putting u. S. Troops on american streets. The option to use active dute should only be used as a matter of last resort and only in the against the backdrop of the pandemic, america has felt at times to be on the edge of a crisis unlike anything seen since the summer of 1968. In the last two days, the country seemed to step back from the brink. Last night and today, protesters were every bit as passionate but mostly peaceful. From washington, d. C. Im here because i want people to look up to the right thing. To california. But in an election year, in a country as divided as ever, it seems clear that the killing of george floyd will remain a flash point for a very long time. The protesters here and across the country have been united in their call for change and determined not to stop until change is achieved. Former president obama in his first Public Comments called for the change to start at the local level. Atlanta mayor took up the challenge announcing shes establishing a commission to look at the use of force in her city. She joins us with houstons chief. People hear commission and they think many, many months and nothing is adopted. What can you assure the people in your city that this will have a meaning full outcome, it will produce something . Thank you for having me. This commission will give me recommendations in the next 14 days, preliminary recommendations. And then take a deeper dive and receive Community Input with a final report coming in 45 days. I think thats important, lester, because like so many of us across the country, recognize we have lost the luxury of time. People want to see action and they want to see it now. I was so grateful to president obama for presenting to so many of us a challenge and a within to show people that wer difference with policing in our communities. Chief, you have talked strongly about reform. You have been gotten a lot of attention for walking with the protesters. Can you tell us what other departments should take away from houston . Well, i think that one of the most important things you have to being in the most diverse city, you have to set the right tone. It starts with our mayor who announced his own commission on these issues. Then you have to be reflective. We have to be a department that builds relationships every day. When you have a minority majority city served by a home grown minority ma juro y Majority Department thats half the battle. We have to be up front. You cant change culture and build relationships just appearances on tv. You have to be on the streets with your men and women. You have to be in the community. What about being more transparent with the community . There have been a number of policeinvolved shootings in your city this year. Body cam video has not been released. You told today some would be released but not all. Why not be more transcomplaipar . This jury pool here in houston would be the most diverse jury pool in the country. One of the first laps in the face of the Africanamerican Community and other communities is when an officer isnt indicted. Then a second slap in the face would be when theyre indicted, tried and theres acquittal. We have to be careful. We have to weigh the pretrial publicity that comes with releasing all video. We normally would prefer to wait for the grand jury process to end because we dont want a change of venue. That would be the unintended consequences potentially that takes it away from houston, texas, a great melting pot and maybe to east texas or west texas that may not be reflective of our community. We need to have that conversation. We need to have a National Standard for some of the more critical policies. Mayor, your city took swift action against Police Officers who were involved in an Excessive Force moment involving bringing folks out of a car. It happened very quickly. Is that the new standard . Will you move more quickly in these sorts of circumstances . You know, lester, obviously the past few days in our country have been like none that i have experienced in my lifetime. I think everything is different right now. We had videotape we were able to pull the body cam and made a decision to terminate the officers two of the officers immediately and taking at what happened with the other officers. Again, i think its important that people know that were serious about policy changes. The reality is, we have so many men and women who are working so very hard doing the right thing. These officers even had stellar reputations. Certainly, the tal raolerance l has changed as it should. Thats what you saw with the action that we have taken in atlanta. You wrote an op ed a few days ago that caught a lot of attention. The title was, the Police Report to me but i knew i couldnt protect my son. What made you write that at this point in time . What was your message . Like so many people across this country, i had so many emotions about what i saw with george floyd i did something that i rarely do. I actually put pen to paper. It was really an opportunity for me to be able to articulate what i know so many people feel. So as leaders, we feel responsible for our communities, we feel the obligation to offer solutions. But were mothers and were fathers and were brothers and were sisters and we are worried about our children in the same way that everybody else is in america who is concerned that their children may be unfairly targeted or mistreated. I was just grateful for the opportunity to be able to express that. I want to thank you both for being with us this evening. Its an important discussion. We will continue to have it. Thank you for being here tonight. Thank you. Thank you. In this moment, we are reminded of how powerful our voices can be in this democracy. Freedom of speech, freedom to peaceably assemble. These rights have been essential to American Life for more than two centuries. We have been seeing them in action across the country the days since George Floyds death. Blayne alexander is in atlanta. Shes been listening to the voices raised in protest. Good evening. Reporter lester, good evening. Night after night, we have watched hundreds, even thousands of people fill this area of downtown atlanta. Were past curfew. Streets are clear. The National Guard remain. I have spoke within dozens of protesters who tell me this is not their first time pushing for Police Reform. They have done it before. Some of them for years. That, they say, is why they have had enough. These are the faces of america, black, brown and white. Their voices raw and in pain. Nothing has changed. What are we supposed do . That could be my father. That could be my brother. That could be me. It just happened too many times. Im here because if white people dont speak up and stand in these lines, nothing will change. Reporter all demanding that this time be the last time they have to take a stand that Americas Police treat black people with humanity and dignity. We need to be able to walk around the same streets that everybody else can and not feel like if i get pulled over, i might not come home. Reporter black americans die at the hands of police at more than double the rate of white americans. Campaign zero pushing for Police Reform has tracked every instance of Police Violence since 2015. What changes can be made to stop this . Today in cities, mayors can change use of force policy. Today mayors can say they are going to require to exhaust all alternatives before using deadly force, they will ban choke hold pice departments across the country, there has to be a National Standard around use of force. Keith meadows has spent much of his life in Law Enforcement, on the street for more than 30 years, now chief in south fulton, georgia. You have been out. You have been talking to protesters. They are frustrated. Reporter like accountability. The bureau of justice reports 7 of all reported cases of excessive use of force result in an officer being held accountable. There have been significant Police Reforms over the last 30 years, especially in big departments. More diversity, Community Outreach and training. If you dont have the compassion for a person when you have their knyour knee on theird they are begging you, i dont think any amount of training would have changed who that Police Officer was. Reporter lester, chief meadows told me to address that problem, they have to take a closer look at who they are hiring in the first place. Departments across america, he says there should be stronger psych screenings when it comes to Law Enforcement recruitment to make sure they are getting the right people on the force. Blayne alexander, thank you. Brian stephenson is the founder of the equal Justice Initiative and has been an advocate for minorities and the poor in criminal justice systems. He spoke with me a short time ago about how George Floyds death at the hands of police really hits close to home. Brian, its an understandable desire to do something to make reforms happen right now. Are we looking at this through the proper lens . Yeah, i actually think theres a bigger story here. This is not just about police misconduct. This is not just about needing to change the ficulture of training. I think its a bigger story about racial inequality. A lot of what you are seeing on the streets is frustration, anger and exhaustion with the plight of africanamericans in this country. Im a product of brown versus board of education. I grew up when black kids had to start their education in colored schools. I was told if i worked hard and i studied and i did well, i would get to the point where i would be treated equally and fairly and justly. I did all of those things. I went to high school, college. Got admitted to harvard law school. After i graduated from harvard and started practicing law, i was in my car one night when the police pulled up, pulled me out of the car, pointed a gun at my head and threatened to blow my brains out because someone had said theres a black man sitting in his car in front of my apartment. I was on the street for 20 minutes navigating this event where i had to get the officers to remain calm. Its okay. Its all right. The burden of those kinds of encounters accumulate. It happens to black people every day. I woke up the next morning worried about what my 16yearold self would have done had that taken place. I was worried if i were 16 when those officers threatened to shoot me, i might have run. I might have done something that would cost me my life. I went around trying to get young kids prepared for these moments. When you live day to day with this presumption of dangerousness and guilty ive been practicing law for 35 years and i still have to navigate these presumptions. I go into courtrooms where judges will sometimes say, get out, because you are the they think im the defendant. I think what were seeing in this country is a collective expression of our fatigue of having to be menaced and marginalized. We have to deal with this larger question of our history of Racial Injustice. You have talked in the past you and i have talked about the notion that police were an instrument of lynching. You could see how someone might make that connection in this instance. In general, todays modern police force, does it still bear that stain . It does. We have never acknowledged the identity of police. It begins before the lifynching e era. Free black people in the north had to worry about the police. Congress passed the fugitive slave act in 1850 which empowered Police Officers to catch slaves and harass free black people in the north and west, make them prove that they were, in fact, emancipated. Before the civil war, in the free states that dynamic was created. After the civil war, we had this collapse of reconstruction. It was Law Enforcement that allowed white mobs to take over these positions that black people held and subject black people to a century of taerror and violence. The police let the mobs come in and pull black people out of jails and watch them lynched. In the 1950s and 60s when nonviolent black people put on their sunday best to protest against segregation and disenfranchisement, it was the police who batter and bloodied and beat them while they were on their knees praying at the bridge in protest. So that identity is not something you can just ignore. In the 60s when we had uprisings, theres never been a reckoning with that identity, which is why i believe that truth and justice has to be part of what we need to see. Every Police Department in this country has a story, a confession to make about the multiple times they have acted in a racially unjust way. If they made that concession, committed to that truth and gave Community Members an opportunity to tell their story, to hear from them, you would begin to see something happen that we have never seen happen in this country when it comes to overcoming this legacy of we have seen these gestured by Police Chiefs and rank and file Police Officers kneeling. But does that come close to the apology you have talked about that is due africanamericans over the legacy of slavery . I think its a gesture that suggests possibility but more is required. It needs to happen from Police Chiefs and sheriffs. It needs to happen community wide. First of all, were going to have to do other things besides have those. We have to change the culture of policing. We have to create a police force that doesnt think of itself as soldiers or as military armed military personnel but as guardians. Once we get past that, it needs to be more formal in my view. We need to create more trust. Those gestures i think signify a desire by many Law Enforcement officers to be trusted, to be in community with people of color and the places where they serve. But we created all these structural barriers to that, which is why the structures have to change. Im encouraged when i see those gestures. But this has to be department wide, it has to be community wide. It starts with mayors, with governors, with the federal government reinforcing the importance of these gestures. We do these markers at lynching sites. We ask Police Chiefs and sheriffs to show up wearing uniforms. We dedicate a marker to a lynching victim, we ask them to say, im sorry the people wearing this uniform 80 years ago failed to protect you. Then we ask them to say, im sorry but im now wearing uniform and i want you to know i will protect you. It doesnt cost money. Most wont do it. That has to change. If were going to create the trust and healing that our country desperately needs. Tell me about the hard work that lies ahead once the marching and protesting is over. What has to happen . Does it get more difficult . Well, president obamas task force on policing. Around the country we accumulated testimony from Police Officers and academics and experts and activists. We have 40 pages of recommendations that have not been implemented. The good news is that we know what to do. The tricky news is that we havent done it yet. So thats going to be the hard work. We are going to have to pass federal laws that mandate Data Collection and registries for misconduct by Police Officers. We have 18,000 Police Departments in the country and no one can tell you how often Police Officers kill someone or shoot someone. That has to change. We are going to have to train differently. We cant train Police Officers to mostly know how to shoot or fight. If we expect them to work in communities where there are people who are mentally ill, people are dealing with challenges. We are going to have to create a different accountability structure. Its too hard to hold Law Enforcement officers accountable. That behavior of putting a knee on someone until they die, it should be illegal. You wouldnt have to do a lot to prove that. This qualified immunity that has encouraged Police Officers to shoot first and think later, that has to change. It will be hard. But i think this is a powerful moment. Im more hopeful than i have been before. Theres an urgency by the protests that will move us, hopefully, to a very different place. Brian stephenson, good to talk to you. You are an important part of the conversation. Thank you for being with us. Glad to be with you. We have more to get to tonight. When we continue, my colleague craig melvin takes a personal look at some of the Landmark Events that have brought us to this moment. We will hear from one of the leading africanamerican voices in the country today, popular radio host charlamane. Who has time for wrinkles . Neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair®. Weve got the retinol that gives you results in one week. Not just any retinol. Accelerated retinol sa. Neutrogena®. Are made with farm grownal apples as the first ingredient. And key nutrients you want. So you can have a daily multivitamin free of stuff you dont want. One a day Natural Fruit bites. A new way to multivitamin. Its sad and there needs to be a change thats been happening for a long time. Es triste y hace mucho tiempo and im happy that people are coming together to protest against this. Thats how things look to simeon who spoke with us in atlanta. That city and so many have had Racial Injustice over the years. Craig melvin joins us with perspective how we arrived at this moment. Craig . Reporter lester, this is really the most recent chapter in an american tragedy. These kinds of stories where someone who looks like us is dieing in police custody, they are personal. There but for the great of god go i i always think. We have been here before. Almost too many times to remember. Hands up. Dont shoot. Reporter hands up, dont shoot they cry. We have come to the point in america where an act of surrender is an act of protest. Who are you protecting . Reporter you will see i cant breathe on signs and shirts. I cant breathe. Reporter a bitter echo from the death of eric garner. I cant breathe. Reporter outrage continues to grow in new york city in reaction to the death of a Staten Island man. Getting the facts straight when reporting on a controversial death is essential. But i cant avoid the fact that im a black man. When i go to cover a tragedy like this, when i wade through a crowd looking for answers, perhaps i see things differently than some of my leagues. Four white lapd officers beating a black man. Reporter i was 12 when i saw the rodney king beating. It changed my perception of the police. Maybe all werent good guys i thought they were. The walter scott video was a punch in the gut. He was shot in the back in 2015 by a Police Officer following a routine traffic stop. If not for video from a bystander, who knows if the falsified Police Report would have been questioned. The prior summer, the death of Michael Brown shot by a Police Officer sparked outrage in ferguson. In that case, there was no conclusive video. But there was an already uneasy relationship between the black community and the police. When browns body was left in the street for hours, the anger boiled over. For days, there would be no justice and no peace. Even when the unrest eventually stops, theres still the search for accountability. In 2016, i covered a rally in baltimore where folks were demanding justice in the death of freddie gray. He died of injuries in the back of a police van. In the crowd that day, mothers who had lost children. To bury my child, you dont know the hurt of a mother. Reporter many didnt die at Police Violence. Their loss is to less painful. Who is there to protect our children, all of our children, if not the police . I got a better understanding of their perspective during a ride along with a cleveland Police Officer. Do you typically feel safe . Probably the least safe i have felt in my life as far as just being a target. Just because the uniform, the badge i wear. Reporter beneath that uniform say person, flawed and sometimes fearful like the rest of us. Knowing this, how do we break the cycle of violence . How do we see each other as we really are . Where do we go from here . How do we get there . So many questions, perhaps this time, this death, leads to answers. Answers. The problems have been well documented. What about the solutions . Thats where i started our conversation earlier with author and host of a popular radio show, charlamagne tha god. Charlamagne, this moment we are in, days of protests in every state in this country in the wake of George Floyds death, how does this moment become a movement . How do we get there . I think its a movement now. Its a movement because i feel like god has given america a chance to do the right thing. Everything thats happening right now is a reminder to america and the world to do right by black people. Theres no good thats going to come to america until they do right by black people. Its time for america to atone for its original sin, slavery. Thats only going to happen through legislation and reparation. Its divine its happening during an election year. America has to make amends for the wrongs. Its not america cant handle its experiencing. Pay attention to everything happening in 2020. If you think this year has been hell, you havent seen nothing yet if america doesnt atone for the sins of its past when it comes to the Africanamerican Community. You talked about Economic Justice as wellbeing a part of this. What does that Economic Justice look like beyond reparations . When i say reparations, it cant look like anything beyond money. You know . I think as long as we live under a mechanism of white sur president elect tru supremacy, we will be oppressed. When you talk about institutional racism, thats going to exist because you going to have individuals who are prejudiced in positions of power. Its going to exist because you have policies and practices that run deep in the society. Until you have more of us in these institutions of power or more of whats creating our institutions, until you have more black people getting rich and creating their own system, until you have white people who want to use their privilege to combat prejudice a, things are t going to change. Financial freedom is our only hope. Do for self and build yourselves. It will give us the resources to push the white folks to destroy the institution thats racism. You have to have the money. When i say reparations, thats what i mean. Economic justice plan. Some Economic Equity plan. Investment has to be made into the black community. It has to. One of the things thats really struck me over the past week or so, you look at the protests around america. We have been here before. We have seen this before where something terrible happens and marches and rallies and protests. A lot of times, in the past it would seem as if most of the folks looked like me, looked like you. This time, i have been blown away by the diversity of the demonstrations, if you will. A lot of people marching and chanting, they dont look like us. Its not just young white people. Its older white people. Its the rainbow of america. What does that say to you . It says to me that you know people dont just necessarily love black culture, they love black people. I think thats a White Supremacists Worst Nightmare to see young white kids out there screaming black lives matter. To see young white kids out there protecting black men and black women from the pol i think thats a beautiful thing. The reality of being a black person in america is america promises us they only apply to you whether they want it to. We dont experience freedom or equality or justice. Thats not the way the white supremacist system has been designed. This country was built for white people by black people. Even if you achieved some level of success, if you come from a disinfranchised area, or a dirt road down south like i do, you never feel comfortable. You know the white mans heaven is the majority of black peoples hell. For other people to feel that and finally be saying, this is the reason they strecream black lives matter, thats a beautiful thing. Thats game changing. Thats what lets me know theres a paradigm shift. I always injoy yo enjoy your. Lester, back to you. Thank you. When we come back, how do we solve a problem thats been hundreds of years in the making . Feel the cool rush of new claritin cool mint chewables. Powerful 24hour, nondrowsy, allergy relief plus an immediate cooling sensation for your throat. Live claritin clear. For only week only, save up to 13 on select claritin products. Check this sundays newspaper for details. Whether you know what day it is or not. Consistency is key when taking on acne. And an everyday cleanser . Thats breakouts worst enemy. Love, neutrogena®. My new bitesized, crispy popcorn chicken is so irresistible youll want them whenever, so dont resist pop em while you game, hang, or do your thing. Pop my 100 allwhitemeat classic or spicy popcorn chicken combo for just 5. 99. But you had your knee on our neck. We could run corporations and not hustle in the street, but you had your knee on our neck. We had creative skills, we could do whatever anybody else could do, but we couldnt get your knee off our neck. What happened to floyd happens every day in this country, and education and Health Services and in every area of American Life. Its time for us to stand up in georges name and say, get your knee off our necks. The reverend al sharpton in his eulogy for george floyd here earlier today. His reminder when it comes to binding the nation wounds, good intentions and soothing words are not enough. The problem runs so deep, baked into our institutions and our social fabric, over many years. Kate snow has taken a look at the challenge we all face. Kate . One of the most notable things about the many demonstrations nationwide is that you see a diversity in those crowds. Protesters from so many backgrounds showing up to highlight injustices that have existed for a very long time. What we are doing is helping america be america for all americans. George floyd was the catalyst. But those who march, those who kneel, those who speak out are systemic disparities. This single mom and her 7yearold son live in virginia. How many times do we need to have a conversation about joblessness and lack of resources for africanamericans in this country . So many white americans have not thought about the black experience when it comes to education or housing or Public Health or health care. By every measure, black americans are left behind, starting with income. The average white family has a net worth of 170,000. About ten times more than the typical black family. Black workers consistently earn less than white workers and are more likely to work in the service industry. While unemployment for africanamericans was at a historic low, the job loss caused by covid19 is sharper in the black community. The majority of white americans own a home. The actual value of their homes for africanamericans are undervalued by virtue of being black and occupying them. What does that mean for an africanamerican child coming into the Public School system . It means that that child is coming up in a school thats overwhelmingly underresourced relative to a typical white school. Majority white schools spent 733 more per students than schools nonwhite. When it comes to health, there are grave disparities. When africanamericans dont have employer Subsidized Health care as most of the white counterparts do, then they are at a huge diseadvantage when it comes to affording care. 72 more likely to have diabetes. Three times more likely to die from asthma. Nearly three times more likely to be hospitalized due to coronavirus. I think she understands the history that has brought us to this point. Gina looks at all of it as a teaching moment for her 9yearold daughter. It doesnt matter our skin looks like, were all people. We all live in this world together. The experts we spoke with see hope amid the distress. How do you begin to chip away at some of these inequities . It has to come with knowledge. It cant just be people of color or the marginalized. It has to be the recipients of the benefits. They have to do the heavy lifting. I have every reason to be optimistic with the numbers of white protesters participating in dozens of cities today showing that their consciousness has been raised. I hope these protests are a reflection of a new commitment. One of the things those experts told me is that its time for white families to have a talk with their children about their privilege and the role they can play in helping create a more just society. Lester . Kate snow, thanks very much. Many thousands of people who have turned out across the country to protest the death of george floyd are a reminder we all have a voice when it comes to speaking out and taking action against Racial Injustice. We have seen many wellknown americans who are using their fame as a platform to help call for change. One of them is actor sterling k. Brown. I asked him earlier why he has been moved to speak out. First of all, thank you for having me. I think silence is accepting the status quo as if its okay. Its not okay. Were in the midst of a pandemic where our health is being threatened. In the midst of that, three instances in a row black people have seen black bodies destroyed. In the case of arbery, taylor and now mr. George floyd. This is a pandemic of discrimination and Police Brutality that has been plaguing this country for far too long. I think people are fed up. They have had enough. Real change needs to be seen to know that this country is for all of us. We all want to feel protected and served by the institution that is tasked with that goal. Tell me, when you saw the video of george floyd under that Police Officers knee, i assume you felt the horror that most people who saw that felt. Tell me what it made you want to do. What inside did it make you want to do . Man, you know, i cried the same way i cried when i saw arbery taken away. Countless others. It also made me realize im a citizen of these United States. There have been many times in which i have been told in my capacity that, why dont you just be quiet and act . You dont have to get political right now. Why dont you just stick to your show. As a citizen who has a voice and who is fortunate enough to have a platform, im trying to find ways to utilize that platform to let the world at large know that what is happening in this country cannot continue. Something significant has to change or the unrest that we are experiencing right now will continue. You are a father. You have two sons. How do you think society looks at your sons . They dont know them. How do they see them . Thats a great question. The adulterization and dehumanization of the black bodty thatbod body has been happening for a long time. Not too long ago, my son was in a soccer game. He is a hard player. He goes all out. If you do your best, big boy, whether you win or you lose, you can be proud of yourself and hold your head up high. The referee, who was a very nice woman, she pulled my son aside after he was making an aggressive play, not a dangerous play but aggressive play and told him he was being wild and that he should be careful before he hurt someone. I found it interesting she singled him out. He wasnt the most aggressive person on the field. Wasnt the most dangerous. She used the word wild in describing a human being. This is one of those instances of implicit bias that we encounter time and time again. People say things that are hurtful. I dont think that they are cognizant of the fact they are doing it. I pulled her over. I said, did you call my son wild . She said, i did. I said, you have to be careful the language you use with young black children. These are human beings. He is not wild. He plays hard. If you reframed it, you would reframe it in another way with another child. He is crying on the bench right now because he is just a boy. I need you to apologize. She did. She did. She was very sweet. That sort of thing happens for young black children, for black men and women, gay, straight, trans, all the time. Just by the nature of the way that we look. I want your take on our priorities as a country. We are watching the street protests. We have seen people take advantage of them, destroy property. Thats become a concern. Do you think were focused properly on whats most important right now . I think you have to be what im encouraged by in the midst of all of it is a coalition of people coming together who are vocalizing the need for change. Black, white, asian, latino. Thats been my primary focus and the thing that i am heartened by. I feel like when i have friends speak to me and they are concerned about vandalism, looting, rioting, i understand that. I have no desire to minimize that. I also ask that they be equally even more so appalled at the loss of life. Its not an excuse. I feel like a lot of the vandalizing thats happening is coming from outside groups that are not attached to black lives matter. I want to be cognizant of that. For those people that are looting, i ask them to stop. Police be on message. We want change. Real, lasting change. I want outrage for the loss of life. Thats how i feel. Sterling, things more quick. Who would have known two weeks ago we would talk about something other than covid, something that would knock covid down in the news cycle. Knowing how fast life travels, are you worried as a country we dont have a stick to itness . Thats a concern. Im hopeful that this isnt just a moment but its beginning of a movement. When we come back, i will pay a visit to what is the most famous intersection in america to talk to people about the change they hope to see. I will have final thoughts in just a moment. The tragedy of George Floyds death has lit a spark of hope that this could be a defining moment in American Life. An awakening to the need for real, lasting change. Hope is a fragile thing. The epicenter for this tragedy and for this hope lies 2 1 2 miles south of here in minneapolis. George floyd died last week there. Earlier today, i paid a visit. Along the street where george floyd was killed sits the intersection where pain and bewilderment meet optimism things can change. Do you have faith and trust that this is going to bring about change soon . Yeah. I think so. We made history. Minnesota made history. Others arent so sure. Where were you when it happened . I was hope. This Community Resident and activist has heard promises before. Now she is among those here calling for a controversial movement. We need to move beyond Police Reform and completely transition away from our policing system right now. That is what justice will look like. When you say moving away, are you talking about abolishing police . Im talking about abolishing police. Transitioning away from the minneapolis Police Department here locally and investing in communityled safety solutions. The shattered remnants of trust lay beneath flowers, posters, remembrances. A teachable moment many parents find they cant ignore. You 7 . Thats a hard conversation to have with a 7yearold . It is. He knows what its about, how unfair treatment of black people, the history of our country. I think its a great its sad but this is our jumping off point. I think its really important. If we ignore it, nothing will dha change. Cant be part of that change, we cant be part of that change. A unique community has come together on this street. People of many colors welcomed, fed and comforted. United in the belief that change begins here. How do you move forward . People have been marching in the streets around the country. Demanding change. What does change look like and how long do you have to wait . I think as our governor spoke yesterday, the peoples protests and movement around the neighborhoods are what are going to make this change. Our politicians cant ignore these if we continue to carry on this way. We have just lived through an extraordinary ten days in the history of our country. It began with an explosion of shock and anger at the death of george floyd at the hands of police. A death captured on camera. We were all witnesss. In days across the country, the anger has seemed to grow into resolve, determination and common purpose. Its said theres nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come. Perhaps the time has come finally to fully realize the dream upon which this great country was founded, equal justice under the law. I know its hard to talk about. Makes us uncomfortable. George floyd died with a knee to his neck. Africanamericans have lived with the knee of injustice on their necks for a very long time. This moment, this tragedy helps change that, then george floyd will not have died in vain. Im lester holt, for all of us at nbc news, thank you for joining us tonight. Good night. Right now at 11 00, too close for comfort. Were following breaking news in san jose. Fires forcing families to evacuate. He called and said, your hills on fire. So we ran outside, and there was a giant fire to the right and a giant fire to the left. The progress crews have made and the Person Police believe is