Jack Yates class president shares his appreciation for George Floyd's life
HOUSTON, Texas -- The Yates High School senior class president of 2020 is preparing to his future in the U.S. Army, and taking inspiration from an alumnus he never met.
"It's kind of cool that I went to the same high school George Floyd graduated from, and made an impact on the whole world and this school," said Larry Fisher.
He paid attention to the stories of Floyd's childhood in Third Ward, the place he also calls home.
That inspired him to start posting his opinions about the protests, the conversations, and add to the national conversation on justice and racial equality.
"I started expressing my opinions on how I felt about the situation and how things could have been different, and especially our actions, and things of that nature," he said. Fisher said he supports peaceful protests, but feels vandalism and destruction take away from the message. "I got a lot of comments supporting that," he said.
SEE ALSO: Dozens of Yates High School graduates attend George Floyd vigil
Floyd was a football star during his years at Yates. His touchdown clinched a Yates Lions state championship title. He also played basketball, and while some of his friends went on to become professional players, Floyd did not. But in his death, he wrote a new page of history.
A few evenings ago, the national alumni of Yates gathered outside the building that replaced the one most of them knew. They held a candlelight vigil ceremony for him the evening before his funeral.
Fisher will report to the Army next month and begin his training. "Everyone knows me as a motivator," he said. "If you tell me you've got a problem, I say, 'We got this.'"
But, he'll also take what he's learning from the life and death of a man who's a generation ahead of him.
