Blog Archives
Jay-Z Joined Trayvon Martin’s Parents For Peace Walk
The Trayvon Martin Foundation website says;
The Trayvon Martin Foundation holds its Annual Peace Walk and Peace Talk community event in February. Peace Walk participants include youth, community activists, faith leaders, and celebrities. The Walk also includes families who have lost a child to senseless gun violence. All participants will be walking together in solidarity as a testament to the right that all people should be able to walk freely without being pursued, chased, profiled or shot and killed on their streets. Walk begins 9:00 am at Carol City Park 3201 NW 185th street, FL 33054.
Florida Memorial University to Award Trayvon Martin a Posthumous Honorary Degree
Published using Press This
Trayvon Martin
At its commencement ceremony on May 13, Florida Memorial University will present a posthumous honorary degree to Trayvon Martin, the Florida teenager killed by George Zimmerman five years ago.
The private university announced Wednesday that Martin’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, will accept a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical science with a concentration in flight education on behalf of their son.
The degree is in “honor of the steps he took during his young life toward becoming a pilot,” the school said in a Facebook post. Florida Memorial’s Department of Aviation and Safety has a designated Cessna pilot training center, and the school also houses the Trayvon Martin Foundation. It is based in Miami Gardens where Trayvon Martin lived.
Trayvon Martin was 17-years old when he was shot and killed on February 26, 2012.
The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin – Today Would Have Been His 22nd Birthday
Trayvon Martin was born on February 5, 1995. He would have been 22 years old today.
It is because Trayvon was killed that I came to the internet in 2012. The man who killed him claimed defense under Florida’s controversial stand your ground law. Seeing racially bigoted comments, and attacks upon his family and friends, opened my eyes that America is not post-racial. Others saw this too. The Black Lives Matter Movement was birthed.
Trayvon’s parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, have published a book titled “The Enduring life of Trayvon Martin: Rest in Power“. The 368 page hardcover book sells for $26.00. The book is available for Kindle for $12.99 and on audio CD for $35.00. It became available in bookstores on January 31, 2017.
Yes, dear brother Trayvon, you are resting in power. May your parents, and all parents who advocate against gun violence and for truth and equal justice, be strengthened and empowered to keep the light burning.
Trayvon Martin, Rest In Power
Book: Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin, Written By His Parents Is Now Available for Preorder
Amazon introduces Rest In Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin:
“Trayvon Martin’s parents take readers beyond the news cycle with an account only they could give: the intimate story of a tragically foreshortened life and the rise of a movement.”
“Martin was walking home with candy and a can of juice in hand and talking on the phone with a friend when a fatal encounter with a gun-wielding neighborhood watchman ended his young life. The watchman was briefly detained by the police and released. Trayvon’s father—a truck driver named Tracy—tried to get answers from the police but was shut down and ignored. Trayvon’s mother, a civil servant for the city of Miami, was paralyzed by the news of her son’s death and lost in mourning, unable to leave her room for days. But in a matter of weeks, their son’s name would be spoken by President Obama, honored by professional athletes, and passionately discussed all over traditional and social media. And at the head of a growing nationwide campaign for justice were Trayvon’s parents, who—driven by their intense love for their lost son—discovered their voices, gathered allies, and launched a movement that would change the country.”
“Five years after his tragic death, Travyon Martin’s name is still evoked every day. He has become a symbol of social justice activism, as has his hauntingly familiar image: the photo of a child still in the process of becoming a young man, wearing a hoodie and gazing silently at the camera. But who was Trayvon Martin, before he became, in death, an icon? And how did one black child’s death on a dark, rainy street in a small Florida town become the match that lit a civil rights crusade? “
“Rest in Power, told through the compelling alternating narratives of Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, answers, for the first time, those questions from the most intimate of sources. It’s the story of the beautiful and complex child they lost, the cruel unresponsiveness of the police and the hostility of the legal system, and the inspiring journey they took from grief and pain to power, and from tragedy and senselessness to meaning.”
The Impact of Trayvon Martin’s Death on America
Outside of his family and friends, Trayvon Martin was unknown until a few days after February 26, 2012. On that evening, Trayvon Martin was the average 17-year old child of divorced parents where the father is involved in his son’s life and there is an extended family. Living in Miami Gardens, Trayvon was visiting his dad in Sanford, Florida, who was staying with his girlfriend. He went to the 7-Eleven and on his way back, was followed by a man in a truck. Trayvon was on the phone with a childhood friend named Rachel, and told her about a creepy looking guy following him. Trayvon ran. The man got out of his truck, followed Trayvon, and shot him dead.
The killing of Trayvon Martin impacted America more than the killing of some U.S. Presidents. Because of technology and the internet, people from across the globe took interest in the case. Because of Florida’s “sunshine law,” discovery documents and pleadings filed in the case were made public. George Zimmerman’s trial for 2nd degree murder was shown on television, and live-streamed. Read the rest of this entry
Stand Your Ground March & Rally In Tallahassee, Florida, March 10th, 2014.
Jueseppi, thanks so much for blogging this. The photos are wonderful! The message goes forth.
Second Anniversary of the Shooting Death of Trayvon Martin
Trayvon Benjamin Martin
“Justice in America: Trayvon Martin, Race, and the Law” is the title of the talk that attorney Benjamin Crump will give at 6 p.m. tonight at the Cooley Law School in Lansing, MI.
According to WKAR, Attorney Crump says he is going to talk to the next generation of lawyers about the future and encourage them to understand their obligation to equal justice.
Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin
Tonight, Tracy Martin appeared on Politicsnation with Reverend Al Sharpton on MSNBC, addressing how he misses Trayvon and changes that he seeks in Stand Your Ground law that allowed Trayvon’s killer to go free.
Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin Plan To Write Book
Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton
Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, parents of Trayvon Martin, intend to write a book about their son, his death, his killer’s trial and more. Sybrina and Tracy met with publishers, accompanied by Jan Miller, their Dallas-based literary agent. Two publishing executives participated in the meeting and described it as somber and moving.
One publishing executive said Mr. Martin and Ms. Fulton spoke eloquently on social issues of race and religion, suggesting that faith could be a central element of the book. Both have openly stated about their faith. After a jury found George Zimmerman not guilty of murdering Trayvon Martin, Sybrina tweeted:
“Lord during my darkest hour I lean on you. You are all that I have. At the end of the day, GOD is still in control. Thank you all for your prayers and support. I will love you forever Trayvon!!! In the name of Jesus!!!” Read the rest of this entry
Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin Retain Agency
(The following is a copy of the press release. We wish Sybrina and Tracy the best in their endeavors. )
Trayvon Martin’s Parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, Retain American Program Bureau as Their Exclusive Speakers’ Agency.
NEWTON, Mass., Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire
American Program Bureau (APB) is proud to be named the exclusive speaking agency for Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, the parents of Trayvon Martin. Since the death of their son, Fulton and Martin have committed their lives to transforming tragedy into change, working to ensure the survival of every child through education and thoughtful conversations about conflict resolution. Read the rest of this entry
Shellie Zimmerman Owes Another Apology
Shellie Zimmerman in court during jury selection in her husband’s case.
Shellie Zimmerman, wife of George Zimmerman, was charged with felony perjury, which carried a possible sentence of five years in prison. Before his arrest in April 2012, George Zimmerman opened a website and asked people to give him money for a legal defense. After his arrest and while in jail awaiting his bond hearing, George and Shellie’s phone calls were recorded. They spoke in code regarding the amount of money given to George through PayPal, and transfers of same into various accounts and a safety deposit box. Read the rest of this entry
The Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence is the nation’s largest citizens’ lobby to prevent gun violence. They work to pass, enforce, and protect sensible laws and public policy that address gun violence at the federal and state level. Their advocacy campaigns include the Million Mom March and Brady Chapters, working locally to educate people about the risks of gun ownership, honor victims of gun violence, and pass sensible gun laws.
The Brady Center provides “Take Action” that includes 5 steps that individuals can take to make our voices heard and have meaningful legislation passed at the federal level. Among the actions, the Brady Center provides a forum where Americans of all ages can share how gun violence has affected them personally.
Through their Legal Action Center, the Brady Center seeks justice in the courts for victims of gun violence, bringing civil liability cases against irresponsible gun sellers and owners. Their attorneys have won millions of dollars in damages for gun violence victims, as well as forcing changes in how gun companies do business.
Dan Gross President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
Dan Gross, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence called the verdict in the George Zimmerman case, “part of a tragic event that could have easily been prevented.”
Gross said, “There is sharp disagreement over the verdict, but there can be no disagreement over the reason why Trayvon Martin is dead. George Zimmerman had a gun that night, and the state of Florida allowed him to carry it virtually anywhere despite a violent history. Virtually anybody roaming our neighborhoods with hidden handguns is the gun lobby’s vision, but it is not the vision of the rest of the American public truly committed to safer communities. We will work as long, and as hard as it takes to prevent more tragedies like Trayvon Martin’s.”
The Brady Center, the legal arm of the Brady Campaign, recently filed an amicus brief on behalf of the parents of Trayvon Martin, and Jordan Davis, asking the entire United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit to review and reverse a 2-1 decision that held Illinois law restricting the public carrying of firearms unconstitutional.
Trayvon Martin
1995 – 2012
“The American people should be allowed to decide whether they want people like George Zimmerman carrying loaded guns in public places where their children walk home,” said Brady Center Legal Action Project Director Jonathan Lowy. “Most courts have properly recognized that reasonable public safety laws do not infringe on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. Courts should listen to the parents of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, who lost their sons to people whose states entitled them to carry guns in public.”
Jordan Davis
1995 – 2012
Its website includes scorecard ranking all 50 states on the basis of laws that can prevent gun violence, such as background checks on all gun sales, permit-to-purchase requirements, limiting handgun purchases to one a month, and retention of sales records.
This is an organization worth supporting. Please subscribe to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence to stay up-to-date with their activities and what we can do to have our voices heard.
Trayvon’s Law
The NAACP has released a Bill Summary for Trayvon’s Law.
“Repeal Stand Your Ground Type Laws & Restore Sane, Sensible use of Force Standards in Self Defense.
Click here for the entire Bill Summary: Trayvon’s Law
Sybrina, Tracy, and Attorney Crump Met With Federal Investigators
Tracy Martin, father of Trayvon Martin
August 1, 2013
The Miami Herald reports that the parents of Trayvon Martin and lawyer Benjamin Crump met with Justice Department prosecutors and FBI agents at the U.S. attorney’s office in Miami Wednesday to discuss the status of a criminal civil-rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin last year. Prosecutors with the Justice Department’s criminal civil-rights section and FBI agents met with Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin to bring the family up to speed.
“The federal investigation, which was opened while George Zimmerman faced prosecution for the death of the 17-year-old, gained renewed interest last month after Zimmerman was acquitted in state court of Martin’s killing in a Sanford gated community.”
Racial profiling was not an issue in the charging affidavit, nor was it an issue in George Zimmerman’s trial.
Not Guilty Verdict
The jury has spoken, but it was not a jury that examined all the evidence. It took bloggers longer than 16 hours just to read witness and police reports, listen to Zimmerman’s taped interviews, and watch his re-enactment. That did not include time to conduct comparison analysis.
State’s Attorney Corey and Assistant State’s Attorney Bernie de la Rionda, spoke at a press conference. An important piece of evidence they related is that there was no way Trayvon could have seen the gun, nor could George Zimmerman draw the gun, with Trayvon straddling as Zimmerman claims.
The jury’s verdict is so wrong. Those six women have to live with their decision. May God have mercy on their souls.
Our sincere condolences to Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. They are the best examples of dignity that is found anywhere on earth.
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress” and that “power concedes nothing without a challenge. It never did and it never will.”
Frederick Douglas
George Zimmerman Trial – Day 13
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Jury Instructions and Closing Arguments are scheduled for today.
Don West argues that the State pulled “a trick”
The first video is partial and doesn’t start from the actual beginning.
Audio cuts in and out because of the live streaming.
George Zimmerman Trial – Day 12
This morning, the Honorable Judge Debra Nelson granted the State’s Motions to prevent the entry of Trayvon Martin’s text phone messages. The defense may use the animation during closing argument, but it will not be entered into evidence for the jury.
It is anticipated that closing arguments will begin tomorrow after one rebuttal witness for the State.
George Zimmerman Trial – Day 10
Monday, July 8, 2013
Koppelli’s Gym owner, Adam Pollack, was arrested in March 2013 for attacking a woman and threatening to cut her fingers and toes off. Pollack testified today that George Zimmerman joined his gym in 2010 and began training in “grabbling” then switched to boxing. He testified that Zimmerman was trained in how to get free from being mounted, and how to protect his face from punches. Zimmerman did not advance quickly because he was obese and had no previous athletic experience.
MOTION HEARING
Motion for Judgment of Acquittal Denied
“There are two people involved here. One of them is dead and one of them is a liar.”
On July 5, 2013, the defense for admitted killer and accused murderer George Zimmerman, filed a Motion for Judgment of Acquittal.
State prosecutor Richard Mantei argued for the State and brought out some of Zimmerman’s lies. The Honorable Judge Debra Nelson denied the defense’s motion.
This video is a summary of State Prosecutor’s Richard Mantei’s points on some of Zimmerman’s lies.
George Zimmerman Trial – Day 9
July 5, 2013
“There are two people involved here. One of them is dead and one of them is a liar.” Assistant State’s Attorney Mantei.
We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident 