The Longwood University Black Student Association (BSA) will be holding a rally entitled "Fear Kills, Love Heals" tomorrow, April 12 at 7 p.m. behind the Lankford Student Union. The rally will address the Trayvon Martin killing and similar cases in the past.
The name Trayvon Martin has received much media attention after the 17-year-old African-American male was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a community watch coordinator in Sanford, Fla., on February 12, 2012.
Martin, who was wearing a hoodie and carrying a sweet tea and bag of Skittles he just bought at a 7-Eleven convenience store, was unarmed. Zimmerman said he noticed Martin acting suspicious and confronted him. He also asserted the killing was in self-defense. Many groups have called for Zimmerman's arrest, as they claim the killing was racially driven. Zimmerman himself is of mixed-ethnic background. BSA Vice President James Bland said many people are familiar with the name, but are not sure about the real details of the case.
Bland said, "We decided that because of all the national attention the situation has gotten ... to do something to shed light to what is going on because a lot of students, a lot of people in the community, really don't know the whole situation." The idea from the event came from BSA's adviser, Residence Education Coordinator at Longwood Landings Mark Anthony Brumfield, who discussed the idea with Dr. Jamie Riley, director of the Office of Diversity & Inclusion.
The rally will begin behind the Student Union at 6:30 p.m. to make picket signs they can carry during the walk. At 7 p.m., students will move toward the Robert Russa Moton Museum in town and loop back to the student union.
Both Riley and Dr. Tim Pierson, vice president for student affairs, will speak at the rally. A candlelight vigil and moment of silence will be held. An open forum discussion will also be held afterwards with refreshments.
"This is something that affects all of us," Bland said. Johnisha Gray, public relations representative for BSA, said, "I just feel like this is an issue that needs to be recognized. For us, here as a small school and black community, we need to get the message out there and fight for justice and just try and get everybody aware of the situation." She said she hopes the message will prevent "chaos and similar actions."
Gray added, "I think the main thing is to have people answer of the situation. It's beyond the racial [aspect]. It's something that needs to be stopped and not something that needs to be taken so slightly." Other colleges are doing similar protests. Virginia Tech had a recent march on campus. Nearly 100 North Carolina A&T State University students in Greensboro, N.C. held a lie-in while they donned hoodies and held Skittles.
"I feel like as BSA, we are trying to get out a message of justice. We are trying to support it and make a difference here at Longwood and in the Farmville community. We're trying to make the change and create a change as well," said Gray.
President of BSA Roberta Collier said they hope to have a petition at the rally in both paper and electronic form. Collier said they are trying to get the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) involved and use their petition. She said if they can't, they will be utilizing a similar petition to the one for Martin on Change.org.
Collier said, "I think its great that people are in the cause. But I think they also need to be educated on why they are doing it."
Collier said as someone raised in Alabama, she realizes that racism does still exist. "Things that are racially charged, we shouldn't be afraid of them. We should be able to stand up for our race when we feel we are wrongfully treated. Nothing really happens when people just sit around. More happens when people actually stand up and say what they believe in."
