With the nation weeks away from remembering the tragic death of Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman five years ago, memories of the late teen's promising life and untimely passing bare no greater significance for anyone than it does for his parents Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. Readers who identify with or were in any way impacted by the event of Martin's death, will get to explore his life more intimately thanks to Tuesday's [January 31] release of a biography on his life that his mother and father have themselves authored.
"Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin" is anticipated to draw a legion of readers to the bookstore. And with such a turbulent time in U.S. history having taken shape in the years since his February 26, 2012 killing, the amount of interested consumers at this point has more to do with his symbolism as a catalyst for what some have deemed a modern civil rights era, then it would any mere sympathy for his circumstance or curiosity about his formative years. Martin's death, after all, is the moment which is universally attributed to the massive mobilization that social justice organizers from around the country would convert into the Black Lives Matter movement.
The active participation of Martin's parents in helping cultivate such a passionate following, for many stands until this day as a testament to the type of commitment and perseverance it has historically taken for black people to confront their oppression. Fulton's presence took on a particularly powerful aura during the presidential campaign season, as she led a cadre of mother's who've lost sons to police violence around the nation in support of Hillary Clinton.
Supporters of Fulton and Martin may be pleased to know that there is a strong possibility they'll soon see their names on a ballot. They confirmed that much during an interview with USA Today this week, in which Fulton stated that they are exploring entering politics to be more directly involved in petitioning for change.
Fulton revealed, "Before I was just comfortable with my average life, but now I feel like I'm just obligated to be part of the change. The only way we can be part of the change is if we start with local government and we work our way up." She added that "It could go all the way to the White House."
Martin echoed, "There's no limitations. I think once you embark on a journey, you don't minimize your goal; you want to maximize your goals. So you start on the local level and then you work your way up and hopefully it will take us to a place where we can help more than just local, more than just state. National. That would be the focus."
Source: usatoday.com
