Stories from George Floyd Square: Hope, Hustle & Healing [Ft. Marquise Bowie]

Today’s episode is a powerful, raw conversation with Marquise Bowie — a remarkable community leader, author, mentor, and father. You may know him from his deep work at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, or as part of the Agape Movement, encouraging, mentoring, and supporting youth and Black-owned businesses downtown.

Spencer first met Marquise downtown and knew right away that his story had to be shared — a story of survival, truth, and hope.

⚖️ Systemic Oppression & Surviving the Streets

Marquise opens up about growing up in an environment shaped by systemic racism, chronic poverty, and the unspoken rules that so many young Black boys are forced to follow just to survive. He shares vivid memories of fear, masculinity, shame, and the constant pull to hustle, drink, and act hard to protect himself — all while knowing deep down that he had love in his heart.

📚 Prison, Books, and Becoming Something More

Marquise explains that while he was locked up, reading and writing saved him. Books cracked his world open; writing gave him an escape and a purpose. Instead of letting the system rot him, he used his time for introspection, self-work, and healing.

This led to his new book, The Last Drop of a Mad Dog 30-30 — a play on the cheap drink Mad Dog 20/20, which he used to numb his pain for years. His book tells the story of how drinking and surviving in the streets nearly stole everything, but how transformation is possible.

✊🏾 From Pain to Purpose: Serving His Community

Today, Marquise lives with real joy and pride — as a father, husband, mentor, and organizer. He spends his days out in George Floyd Square, building real connections with tourists, neighbors, and especially young people. He shows up — with consistency, donuts, riddles to solve, and his full heart — to keep boys off the street and in school.

He’s working alongside groups like Agape Movement and other local foundations to keep the Square Black-owned and to fight the creeping threat of gentrification. His goal? To make sure the businesses there are for the community, by the community.

🧡 Masculinity, Healing & What a Real Man Looks Like

Marquise shares his insights about what it means to grow, to be a man, and to truly love yourself. He wants to show young Black men that you can be strong, smart, calm, and kind — that real masculinity can hold emotion, vulnerability, and compassion.

He talks about grief — wishing his mother were alive to see who he’s become — and how that pain fuels him to keep helping others heal too.

🙌🏾 Support Marquise & the Movement

Please go buy his book The Last Drop of a Mad Dog 30-30 — it’s a testament to survival, transformation, and hope. If you’re ever visiting George Floyd Square, don’t just snap a photo and leave: buy something from a Black-owned business, talk to the people, and support the community that built this space.

We hope this special episode reminds you that real people change the world — one conversation, one donut, one riddle at a time.

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Join your founders and hosts, Dr. Nazeer Zerka and Spencer Srnec, as we process some key scenes to help you better understand your emotions and maybe even find some validation in them.

New Guest: Marquise Bowie

https://www.theagapemovement.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marquise-bowie-219943