The Duchess of Sussex: “George Floyd’s life mattered”
The Duchess of Sussex has spoken out against racism in a video message following George Floyd’s death.
In the emotional video, Meghan addressed students from her old school, the Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles.
"George Floyd's life mattered and Breonna Taylor's life mattered and Philando Castile's life mattered and Tamir Rice's life mattered," she said. All four names were killed by US police in recent years.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’ video speech to the graduating class of Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles is as touching as it is powerful and true and raw.#BlackLivesMatterpic.twitter.com/bbnZg4RZQ1
— Benjamin Wareing (@BenjaminWareing) June 4, 2020
Meghan apologised to all the students: "The first thing I want to say to you is that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that you have to grow up in a world where this is still present."
She admitted to being nervous about commenting on the situation, but said: "The only wrong thing to say is to say nothing".
She recalled the 1992 LA race riots, sparked by the arrest of Rodney King, which happened during her childhood.
“I remember the curfew and I remember rushing back home and on that drive home, seeing ash fall from the sky and smelling the smoke and seeing the smoke billow out of buildings.”
"I remember seeing men in the back of a van just holding guns and rifles. I remember pulling up to the house and seeing the tree, that had always been there, completely charred. And those memories don't go away."
Meghan referenced a valuable lesson from one of her teachers, Ms Pollia, who told her: "Always remember to put others' needs above your own fears."
"That has stuck with me throughout my entire life and I have thought about it more in the last week than ever before."
Meghan then encouraged the students to be part of the movement and urged them to "use their voice" to vote in the upcoming US election. "
“Now you get to be part of the rebuilding. I know sometimes people say, how many times do we have to rebuild? We are going to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild until it is rebuilt.
“Because when the foundation is broken, so are we.”
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