*Since the death of her son Trayvon Martin, Sybrina Fulton is often sought out by media hypes and activists to comment on the latest wave of racial bias and social injustice.
Fulton’s passionate voice allows her to travel the country and speak out against racial violence on behalf of the Trayvon Martin Foundation, and the “Circle of Mothers,” women who have lost children to gun violence.
The Cut recently caught-up with Fulton and asked her to share her thoughts on the #BlackLivesMattter movement, the Republican presidential candidates, and why she’s not ready to forgive the punk who murdered her son. Below are excerpts from the interview.
Since Trayvon’s death, we’ve seen story after story about the murder of young black men and women. What is that like for you?
Sybrina: It hurts every time I see another tragedy in the news. I feel for those families, I can understand that mother’s cry, and that father’s yelling. I can understand those things because I’ve been through it, and I’m still going through it years later. The pain is so fresh, it’s like it never goes away. It’s better at some times, but it never goes away.
With the Foundation we reach out to the families but I don’t like to get involved prior to the funeral. I usually wait until after they have buried their loved ones.
Just days after the Charleston shooting, many victims’ relatives said they’d already forgiven Dylann Roof. Your response was a bit different. After George Zimmerman was acquitted, you said that as a Christian you have to forgive him, but it would take time. Have you gotten there yet?
Sybrina: I’m very honest about my feelings and I have not gotten there. I think the wounds to me are too fresh, and everybody forgives in their own time. I’m just not there. I will never forget, and I have not forgiven. It’s a process. I carry it every day and I’m just not there.
Do you think the federal government is doing enough to address violence against people of color?
Sybrina: Absolutely not. I just don’t feel like it’s enough. If the tables were turned and it was their family member, if it was their friends, and if it was happening to their community, then they would be doing a lot more. I think because it’s African-Americans it doesn’t seem as important.
What do you think about how the 2016 candidates have responded to the Black Lives Matter movement so far?
Sybrina: They just recently had a Republican presidential debate and not one single person spoke about the issue of racial discrimination, or racial profiling, or the racial injustices that are happening here in the United States. You want to be the president of the United States and you can’t even address those issues?
Read the full article over at The Cut..
Learn more about the Trayvon Martin Foundation at the organization’s website or on Facebook.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
