Gianna Floyd, the 6-year-old daughter of George Floyd, is now a Disney shareholder, thanks to Barbra Streisand.
On Saturday, the young girl thanked the singer for the gift with a post on her Instagram page, featuring a slideshow of photos displaying the letter and certificate she received in the mail. Streisand, 78, also sent Gianna two of her studio albums, My Name Is Barbra and Color Me Barbra.
“Thank You @barbrastreisand for my package, I am now a Disney Stockholder thanks to you 🥰🥰🥰,” Gianna’s post read, alongside a photo of her smiling with her certificate.
While the Walt Disney Company no longer gives shareholders discounts to its theme parks, the brand is known to return on investments, with shares doing well over the years. In a recent CNBC report, they calculated that an investment of $1,000 in Disney 10 years ago would be worth more than $4,600 as of February 2020 for a total return of around 370 percent.
It is unclear how many shares Gianna received from Streisand.
Last week, Gianna learned she was granted a full-ride scholarship to Texas Southern University in Houston should she choose to attend. In a press release on their website, the Board of Regents of TSU revealed they had “approved a fund to provide a full scholarship for Floyd’s beloved daughter, Gianna … if she wishes to attend the University.”
The board said the scholarship was a way for them to “honor the memory of George Floyd on the day that he is laid to eternal rest” and ensure that Gianna has a secure future.
“This Board is committed to education and understands that a college degree is one of many powerful steps toward a productive and successful life,” Albert H. Myres, chair of the Board of Regents, said in a statement. “We know that this gesture cannot take the place of her dad’s loving presence, but we hope that it will contribute to easing her journey through life.”
In addition to the scholarship, TSU announced on Tuesday that they had issued a resolution for Floyd’s family, which commemorated his “exceptional life of dedication.”
“[Floyd] will be remembered as both a leader and a mentor, a colleague and a friend, as well as a major inspiration, to change the world through endless pursuit of justice,” the resolution read.
Also, earlier this month, Kanye West created a 529 college savings plan to fully cover tuition for Gianna. A representative for West confirmed to PEOPLE that he also donated $2 million in total contributions to support the families and the legal defenses of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.
And at just 6 years old, Gianna already understands the significant impact her late father left behind.
Last week, retired NBA player Stephen Jackson, a longtime friend of the Floyd family, shared a clip of himself with Gianna on his shoulders. In the clip, she smiled as she exclaimed, “Daddy changed the world!”
Gianna recalled some of her favorite memories with her father during an interview with Good Morning America last week. “I miss him,” Gianna said after being asked what she wants people to know about her dad, adding, “He played with me.”
“She didn’t have to play with nobody else because Daddy was going to play with her all day long,” her mother Roxie Washington said in the same interview. “I mean, that was his baby. He loved his little girl.”
Floyd, 46, died on May 25 from “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression,” according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s report released on June 1 that also ruled his death a homicide.
His death was captured on video, which showed then-police officer Derek Chauvin pinning Floyd to the ground with his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, despite Floyd’s repeated pleas of “I can’t breathe.”
Chauvin, who was previously charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, had his murder charge upgraded to second-degree murder. Chauvin hasn’t entered a plea yet, and his attorney has not responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Three other officers — Thomas Lane, 37; Tou Thao, 34; and J. Alexander Kueng, 26 — have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. They have not yet entered pleas.
To help combat systemic racism, consider learning from or donating to these organizations:
- Campaign Zero (joincampaignzero.org) which works to end police brutality in America through research-proven strategies.
- ColorofChange.org works to make the government more responsive to racial disparities.
- National Cares Mentoring Movement (caresmentoring.org) provides social and academic support to help black youth succeed in college and beyond.
Via: People
