Today would have been Trayvon Martin’s 26th birthday.
On February 26, 2012, Martin’s life was taken away at the ruthless hands of George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Florida. He told the police he killed the teen in self-defense after a fight.
Nine years ago, while walking home from the store, Trayvon was shot to death and his life was unjustly taken away. He was unarmed and simply went to the store to get some skittles.
His death sparked national attention with protests, debates, and even former President Barack Obama spoke out. Trayvon’s case raised a lot of questions about race, guns, justice, and it ultimately led to several federal, state, and local investigations. George Zimmerman was eventually brought to trial on second-degree murder charges and the jury found him not guilty.
In celebration of Trayvon’s birthday, we honor him by calling out racism, the ridiculous rise in vigilante violence, and the proliferation of guns. We will continue the fight for racial justice.