'We Thought Things Would Be Different': Land Park Woman Recounts Civil Rights Movement Amid George Floyd Protests

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Unrest and protest around the country mark unforgettable historic moments for generations to come, but for others, these days have been a reminder of a fight they've seen before.

Each chant is a call to action and each poster means a lot to Shania Larkin.

"I think people are just tired this time," Larkin said.

She was found taking in the sights of George Floyd's Sacramento memorial, built after the Minneapolis man was killed at the hands of police. Protests in his honor have since taken over California's capital city for days. Larkin hopes this time, things may be different.

"I feel like I haven't seen anything this big in my lifetime," Larkin said.

READ: Black Lives Matter Protesters Gather Near Mayor Darrell Steinberg's House

But for Cordia Wade, a Land Park resident, it's a familiar memory. In her home, she has framed a signature from Martin Luther King, Jr. after he visited Sacramento State the year before he was assassinated.

Wade remembers the days her Sacramento community fought for equality decades ago. A time, she says, she thought they won with the Civil Rights Act.

"We thought things would be different," Wade said. "And they are different, but not different enough."

Still, Wade believes police brutality and other forms of discrimination exist. Realizing as she watches 2020 unfold, she says there's still plenty to fight for.

"The treatment of young black males has not changed," Wade said. "We didn't think we'd still have the same fight that we're fighting now."

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But it's through the messages of today, she feels hope.

"It is inspiring," she said. "So many are speaking out today that didn't speak out before."

A shared hope that change may be coming with people like Larkin and the younger generation on the frontlines.

"I think there's going to be some kind of connection between cops and black people – more of an understanding," Larkin said.

Wade says she feels it's the voices of the younger generations, some who aren't even old enough to vote yet, who will leave the biggest mark this time around.