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Jamal Bryant at George Floyd Memorial: "Change Our Hearts So That Our Rage Will Shift to Rehabilitation"
Gizelle Bryant's partner offered a hopeful benediction at the service for George Floyd in Minneapolis, alongside Rev. Al Sharpton.
On Thursday (June 4), friends, family, and esteemed members of the community gathered together at a memorial service in Minneapolis to honor George Floyd after his alleged murder at the hands of a police officer after he was arrested on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Attendees included Martin Luther King III and his family, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Tyrese Gibson, Tiffany Haddish, T.I., Master P, Kevin Hart, and Ludacris, among others.
The memorial included scripture, inspiring messages of hope even in the wake of social injustice, sweet memories of the late Floyd from his family, and uplifting gospel music performed in his honor. High-profile individuals and activists spoke at the emotional event, including Reverend Al Sharpton and Floyd family attorney Ben Crump.
Pastor Jamal Bryant, partner to The Real Housewives of Potomac's Gizelle Bryant, also spoke at the private memorial service for Floyd, which took place in North Central University's Frank J. Lindquist sanctuary on Thursday.
Sharpton offered the powerful eulogy; his words were uplifting and inspiring. "He died of a common American criminal justice malfunction," the famed activist told attendees, noting that no one in that room had originally planned to be at a funeral on that day.
"Let us stand for what is right," Sharpton said, later adding, "What happened to Floyd happens every day in this country in education, in health services, and in every area of American life. It's time for us to stand up in George's name and say, 'Get your knee off our necks.'"
"There is a difference between those calling for peace and those calling for quiet. Some of y'all don’t want peace, you just want quiet. You just want us to shut up and suffer in silence," Reverend Sharpton noted in his speech.
Reverend Sharpton added that he's also speaking with Bryant and other community leaders about next steps and actions to take to "change the time."
The memorial also included eight minutes of silence in Floyd's honor. Pastor Bryant offered the benediction at the end of memorial as Floyd's family was being escorted out.
"Good and gracious God, merciful master, walk with us while we run this race. Speak to us as we lift our voice. Use our hands so that they do not become fists. Change our hearts so that our rage will shift to rehabilitation. Convict the country so that it can finally be the land of the free and the home of the brave. We pray this prayer," he said, adding, "We march on until victory is won."
Prior to attending the event, Bryant posted an inspiring image from a protest in Minneapolis to Instagram.
For the latest reporting on the George Floyd protests from NBC News and MSNBC’s worldwide team of correspondents, including a live blog with minute-to-minute updates, visit NBCNews.com and NBCBLK.
