Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen who was gunned down by racist coward George Zimmerman in Florida in 2012, is running for office in Miami-Dade County.
Fulton confirmed Saturday in a statement that she’ll be putting her name in for a chance at a spot on the County Commission.
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“Since 2012, I have advocated tirelessly to empower our communities and make them safer,” she said, the Miami Herald reports. “But the work is not done. I am proud to announce that I will run to represent District 1 on the county commission.
“Our county must continue moving forward so our families are safe from violence, can afford to live in Miami-Dade and have access to good paying jobs,” she continued. “I am ready to take on these issues and many others in county government.”
Fulton will be running against Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert for the seat, which Commissioner Barbara Jordan is vacating in 2020.
Fulton came into national prominence shortly after the death of her son in February 2012 and quickly became a fierce voice against racism and Florida’s Stand Your Ground law that allowed the man who many believe murdered her son to walk away free.
Her 17-year-old’s death sparked the Black Lives Matter movement and furthered the ongoing national discussion on structural racism, inherent biases, and violence towards black people. She has since appeared on numerous network TV shows speaking out for civil rights, campaigned for Hillary Clinton in 2016, co-written a book and helped form the Trayvon Martin Foundation. The Foundation has launched initiatives to “empower families and communities through violence prevention, mental health access and awareness and educating the community’s children,” the foundation says and is a standing testament to her son’s legacy.
You can watch an excerpt of one of Ms. Fulton’s moving speeches below:
Correction: Sept. 16, 2019, 9:17 p.m. ET: This story has been edited to reflect that Sybrina Fulton is running against Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert.
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