White Woman Who Took Selfie At George Floyd Square Receives Citizen Of The Year Award

Sherry Kline, a 27-year-old graduate of Bethel University, received a special surprise when the socially distant birthday party she was attending at an AMC movie theater ended up being a send-up of the blonde’s courage, altruism, and excellent use of filters. Mayor Jacob Frey and City Council President Lisa Bender presented Kline with the key to the city for her work of bravely traversing to George Floyd Square and taking a selfie.

Bender was the first to shower Kline with praise for her activism.

“What was more impressive than the fact that Sherry took the selfie is that she dared to share it on all social media platforms, where she probably has relatives and family members who are on her “Friends” list, yet still don’t believe in the validity of black and brown lives.”

Bender also called Kline a “glowing example of what all of Minneapolis could look like if we cared” and highlighted that Kline was able to do this without appropriating any culture’s hairstyle or fashion.

Before Frey spoke, a single tear rolled down his cheek. He pulled out his note cards, looked them over, and then dramatically ripped them up, saying that the impromptu nature of Kline’s actions inspired him to speak from the heart.

“When I think of actions that people could do to help their black and brown neighbors, I often draw a blank – I find myself stuck between doing something and risk the backlash from Big White Money and staying in my lane of complacency. But young Ms. Kline did something, and that has inspired me to also do something.”

Frey did not specify what that something would be.

When Kline took to the mic, a rousing applause shook the room.

“I am so shocked that you all saw my true intention with my art,” Kline shared. “As someone who culturally identifies as a millennial on the cusp of Gen Z, I know that there is power behind a selfie. Not only did I want it to say, ‘hey, here is my face, and my eyebrows look amazing,’ but also, ‘hey, this is a place, it exists, and I am here.’”

Kline shared that she did receive some backlash for her post, including a threat from her stepdad to be disinvited from this year’s Christmas Eve Zoom call.

“Even though I knew it was an empty threat that my mom wouldn’t allow, it still shocked me that there are people who are against change, especially change that centers around me.”

Overcome from her speech, both Bender and Frey offered Kline their positions in political office, to which she respectfully declined. Kline elaborated more on her decision to pass on these opportunities on her latest Instagram selfie, writing that, “while it is clear you do not need any experience to hold either position, I am focused on how to expand on what I love to do. So, tomorrow, catch me as I dive into the world of TikTok from the Fond Du Lac Reservation.”