Sybrina Fulton Wants Justice in 2013

Almost a year after her unarmed son, Trayvon Martin, was shot and killed while visiting his father in Sanford, Fla., Sybrina Fulton tells Essence.com that she is ready for justice to be served in 2013. She also talks about her first holiday season without her son, among other things, in the exclusive interview.

George Zimmerman, a former neighborhood-watch leader, has been charged with second-degree murder in the February shooting, which ignited racial tensions and cries of injustice after he was initially released without being charged under Florida's controversial "Stand your ground" laws.

... This year has been bittersweet. The bitter part is that I lost my baby boy. The sweet part has been the show of support that we have received from our community and from the world. We are thankful.

This is our first holiday season without Trayvon, and I have to admit, I'm having a difficult time. I'm an emotional rollercoaster. Trayvon loved the holidays, especially Christmas and Thanksgiving. He always looked forward to those holidays. But while I am sad I'm reminded that I have another son that I'm trying to help get through not having his younger brother around.

Trayvon would have turned 18 this coming February and would have been graduating from high school. He had just turned 17 a few days before he was killed. I remember how much he was looking forward to senior picture day. I won't ever get a chance see those moments; to see his high school graduation picture, his prom pictures, his wedding pictures. I won't get that experience. It's still difficult to swallow because Trayvon had his whole life ahead of him. Seventeen years just seems so short to me, but I do thank God for the time that he did give me with him.

I want justice in 2013. The trial begins in June and we want Trayvon's murderer held accountable for what he did. This was a murder. This was not a case of Stand Your Ground or self-defense. One of the things Tracy [Trayvon's father] and I have done is take a negative and make it positive. We want to try and engage the political process with the Change for Trayvon campaign to encourage people around the country to get involved and vote to help revise these Stand Your Ground laws ...

Read more at Essence.com.

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