Lady who recorded George Floyd's final moments receives an award for her bravery

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Darnella Frazier, a 17-year-old girl who pulled out her cell phone on May 25 and set a record during the police murder of George Floyd, was rewarded for bravery. 

 

 Darnella went out to the store that day with her younger cousin when she saw a man with handcuffs on his hands and face on the ground. 

 

She caught former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee into George Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, which turned out to be Floyd's last moments. 

 

 She shared the video on social media and it went viral, causing changes in her local community, leading to the dismissal of 4 police officers involved, a ban on police suffocation, a federal investigation and a global protest against police brutality and racism around the world.

 

 Frazier was honored with courage on Tuesday, December 8, by PEN America, which promotes free expression. She received an award for bravery of the organization.

 

"With nothing more than a cell phone and sheer guts, Darnella changed the course of history in this country, sparking a bold movement demanding an end to systemic anti-Black racism and violence at the hands of police," PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said in a statement.

"With remarkable steadiness, Darnella carried out the expressive act of bearing witness, and allowing hundreds of millions around the world to see what she saw," Nossel's statement read. "Without Darnella's presence of mind and readiness to risk her own safety and wellbeing, we may never have known the truth about George Floyd's murder."

Frazier, a high school senior in Minneapolis, thanked the organization for the honor at the virtual gala. 

 

"I never would imagine out of my whole 17 years of living that this will be me," she said.

 

"It's just a lot to take in, but I couldn't say thank you enough for everything that's been coming towards me."

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