Since the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, outrage, fear and hundreds of rallies across the nation have been sparked in a fight for justice against his own murder and against the assaults of victims who have been attacked simply on the basis of appearance and racial stereotypes.
On Thursday, April 12, the Black Student Association (BSA) organized the "Fear Kills, Love Heals" Rally to fight against racial stereotypes and to commemorate the lives that have been lost due to fear and ignorance stemmed from racial profiling. Participants in the event wore hoodies and carried signs saying, "Pray 4 Justice," "We Want Justice," "I Am Trayvon Martin" and more.
The event began with the making of signs at 6:30 p.m. and began at 7 p.m. behind Lankford Student Union. The event featured a prayer led by Treasurer of Black Student Association Alex Witcher. A moment of silence and a candlelit vigil was featured with 24 candles to symbolize the 24 African American men who have been murdered since the beginning of this year by security officers, policemen and law enforcement, as BSA President Roberta Collier reported.
Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Tim Pierson and Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Jamie Riley spoke at the event. The event also featured a vocal performance by B.A.S.I.C. Gospel Choir. After the event, a reception with a promotional video for the event was held in Lankford Student Union Ballroom.
The event also featured a free speech wall that on one side said, "What does fear kill?" and on the other side said, "What does love heal?" The relay traveled from behind the Student Union to the Robert Russa Moton Museum with the chanting, "Fear Kills, Love Heals." From the Robert Russa Moton Museum back to the student union, the rally remained silent.
"We've always heard the same [saying] 'Don't judge a book by its cover,' but lately and recently people have been dying just for how they look, how they act, how they sound, what they do and it's not okay," said Collier.
Collier said, "Racism isn't over. It's not dead. You might want to think it is, but it hasn't gone anywhere ... It does still exist, and I want people to realize that social injustice is still going on. It's not just Trayvon Martin."
While the rally spoke of justice, asking for justice for Martin's death, Collier said, "Essentially, there is no justice ... Even when a murderer is convicted, the family still has the hurt in their hearts, and there is no justice for that family."
Collier said, "I think about the situation as something personal. I don't know Trayvon Martin. I'm not related to him. But he could have very well been my cousin, one of my siblings, someone I know." Riley said, "A lot of people in the past couple days have said, 'Why are we still marching? Why are we still rallying? George Zimmerman has been arrested.' True. The issue in the fight is not the fact that he was not being arrested. The issue in the fight is a young, bright black male was racially profiled and stereotyped based on the type of clothing he chose to wear that day."
Riley added, "It is the fact that a young man chose to wear clothing that we all wear very often, and because of the social stigma attached to a young black man wearing clothes that have been associated with the hip-hop and urban culture, he is no longer with us."
"Sometimes I sit and reflect, and I can't believe that we're still facing some of the struggles and issues that those before us faced decades and centuries ago. When I reflect on some of the current issues we deal with as a society, it makes me feel that all of the past work of activists, abolitionists, feminists, civil rights leaders and community organizers were all in vain. It makes me feel that every workshop, lecture, training or conversation I had around equality and inclusion is all for naught," said Riley, later asking, "Have we really fulfilled the dream?" "People need to take things more personally nowadays. In our society, we tend to be more hands off," said Collier. "People are backing out of the issues that they should be fighting for."
Pierson spoke of the tragedy of Martin's death, saying it is "a tragedy whenever anyone's life is cut short." Pierson added, "We hope that justice will be served for Trayvon."
Students march in honor of the Trayvon Martin murder and all murders involving racial stereotyping.
