George Floyd’s death sparked outrage and protests that reached beyond the United States and expanded around the world.
When the video surfaced, tens of thousands of people worldwide organized and participated in demonstrations to speak out against racial injustice.
In Germany, for example, more than 54,000 people from Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg protested to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, as reported in The New York Times.
For many Black Germans, the frustration felt by Black Americans regarding racial injustice is relatable.
“When the video of George Floyd being killed came out, it was also shocking in Germany,” said Jelisa Delfeld. “Even though it happened in the U.S., it’s a Black man, and we’re Black. If there’s pain in our community, you can feel that pain everywhere.”
Over the last few years, Germany has been criticized by the United Nations and the European Union for racial profiling and police violence.
Like many Black Americans, Black people in Germany say that they do not feel a sense of belonging.
But Black Brown Berlin is trying to change that.
“The history of Black people in Europe and Germany is often a narrative that they were never here. We were never here. We just arrived here. We are all refugees,” said co-founder Rhea Ramjohn.
Black Brown Berlin is a community directory and platform celebrating Black culture and community in the country.
“Shining the spotlight on Black and Brown excellence throughout the city, we provide a range of thoughtfully curated content to inform, connect, and serve the black and brown community in Berlin,” a statement reads on the website. “It is our aim to ensure that spaces that aim to reflect the diversity, representation, and inclusion consider our community as an important contributor to the conversation.”