Oprah Winfrey has announced plans to host a two-night special following the civil unrest in the USA driven by the death of George Floyd. Titled "OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here?", it will take place on June 9 and 10 next week.
Winfrey will speak with black thought leaders, activists and artists on the direction they feel the USA should now take in the aftermath of the protests that took place following the killing of Floyd on May 25th last month.
There were also protests across the globe after Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man died when police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes during an arrest.
His death has ignited the Black Lives Matter movement across the globe like never before. Winfrey's question, “where do we go from here?” is one the world is asking.
"Where do we go from here?"
— Oprah Winfrey Network (@OWNTV) June 4, 2020
@Oprah is sitting down with Black thought leaders to guide us all in conversation and create plans for our future. Join us Tuesday and Wednesday at 9|8c for a two-night #OWNSpotlight special. pic.twitter.com/a6sOC2uDRk
Winfrey said in a press release yesterday, "I’ve been having private conversations with friends and thought leaders about what’s next and where we go from here. I thought it would be both of interest and service to bring their ideas, concerns and comments into a national spotlight."
Guests will include politician Stacey Abrams, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, movie director Ava DuVernay, "Selma" actor David Oyelowo, Colour of Change founder Rashad Robinson; and NAACP national board member Rev. Dr William J. Barber II.
The special will air on OWN and all of Discovery’s 18 networks, it will also stream for free on the Watch OWN and Discovery Family apps, as well as OWN’s YouTube, Facebook and Instagram pages.
George Floyd was paid tribute to yesterday at a service at North Central University in Minneapolis, the first in a series of memorial services that will honour his life. Celebrities in attendance included Kevin Hart, Ludacris, T.I., Tyrese Gibson, Tiffany Haddish, Master P and film producer Will Packer. Reverend Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King III and Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar.
Those gathered at Thursday's tribute stood in silence for eight minutes, 46 seconds, the amount of time Floyd was alleged to be on the ground under the control of the police officer. The service also included a riveting eulogy by civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton.
