On the night of February 26, 2012, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was walking back from a convenience store to his father’s place in Miami, Fl., wearing a hoodie, carrying with him a bag of skittles and an Arizona tea. Young Martin had no clue that he was being watched by “neighborhood police” Hispanic American George Zimmerman, who had alerted a Florida Police Department that he was on a suspicious-looking Martin’s trail.
That same night, millions of Americans would turn their TV’s, radios, and other devices on to the news Martin, a African American teenager, had been shot and killed by Zimmerman on his way home. A jury would later acquit Zimmerman for the second-degree and manslaughter of Martin, stating Florida’s ‘Stand Your Ground” law, which held the accused testimony that during their altercation, Zimmerman had no choice but to use self-defense. The verdict would spark and trigger a society so complex into formation that Black Lives Matter would be born.
Often compared to the Civil Rights Movement, Black Lives Matter carries with them a weight that brings to life the colloquialism of “The audacity of…,” something that holds ground for a community that has been hit with a problem of police brutality and racially motivated violence. We as a nation witness this call for justice in the form of protests in our homes, schools, workplaces, streets, and parks. Hashtags on all social media platforms for Black Lives Matter, a still untrademarked organization, is used as a symbol of solidarity.
Founded by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, Black Lives Matter has since expanded into a global movement, recently, being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for their courageous efforts to change a broken system. Norwegian MP Petter Eide expressed in his nominations papers what the movement has meant for citizens worldwide.
“I find that one of the key challenges we have seen in America, but also in Europe and Asia, is the kind of increasing conflict based on inequality,” Eide said. “Black Lives Matter has become a very important worldwide movement to fight racial injustice.”
Martin’s untimely death was not the last to reach the world. It was a summer of quietness, the usual tourist-packed, and by-the-brand weekend for many of New York City’s residents.
On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner, a stout, tall black male, was approached by New York police officer Daniel Pantaleo under suspicion of illegally selling cigarettes. What transpired was Garner surrounded, grounded on his chest, with multiple officers on top. The last words he would utter, “I Can’t Breathe,” would soon become a hashtag used around the globe as shared video footage of a suffocating Garner darkened the nation.
Once again, the officers would not be charged for Garner’s death. A decision that incited protests from New York to California to Atlanta, shaping the racial tension between a society of people and the police. This time proving more thicker than ever with existential, detailed video footage.
Black Lives Matter and their underlining on the importance of using devices to record started to frame a discussion on the lengths of safety an individual, specifically black, must go through when being stopped and questioned by law enforcement. A conversation that we had not brought to the forefront in our society in years. For many, the movement for better policing had now been placed on an ongoing continuum.
Two months later the death of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown, two days shy of starting his first day of college in Ferguson MI. would be next.
On August 9, 2014, Police Officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Brown. In similarity to Zimmerman’s verdict, the grand jury decided not to indict Wilson, stating the officer used self-defense. As a result, the city of Ferguson witnessed unrest for weeks. Signs with the unofficial slogan “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” would symbolize the current movement, while Black Lives Matter furthered their support, organizing a “Freedom Ride” of more than 500 African American protesters.
Black Lives Matter is more than just a street-protest operation. On more than one occasion they have demanded for more from national and local government, including reparations for African Americans, specifically, a universal income that would bring extreme ‘free’ relief to many homes living in poverty. In addition, an end to the jail system and the reformation of the prison system, a point of call to action that would be made clear following exposure of internees’ deaths.
Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old black Texas woman, was found hanging in a jail cell three days after being arrested during a traffic stop by Waller County State Trooper Brian Encinia.
Soon after, the public would get two videos – the one Bland herself recorded for little over 30 seconds and the police recorded video. Both videos including an exchange of a crying and screaming Bland.
The unusual events that lead to the death of Bland caused a common grief around the nation. Many questioned why and how a young advocate for Black Lives Matter and a Prairie View A&M Alumna, soon to be employed, would suicide in a county prison cell. Multiple calls for an investigation into her death were numerous, along with the hashtags #SayHerName and #SandraBland, which would gain major support like cases before, worldwide.
In a video posted on Black Lives Matter website, Garza, co- founder of the organization, expressed the disturbance that was felt the moment she and friends decided to create the new movement for names like Trayvon Martin and Sandra Bland.
“Black Lives Matter really starts because there is a generation of us desperate for something different, and while the Obama administration for many of us was like this is the opportunity where we can finally have those real conversations, instead white people were like racism over you got your black president then Trayvon Martin’s killed,” Garza said.
The movement continues to prove itself worthy of higher accolades with a reach of over 30 communities globally and goals in politics to end police brutality and injustice, moving at a critical speed with the support of multiple celebrities.
In 2016, football player Colin Kaepernick became a trending topic using his platform to support the Black Lives Matter by taking a solidarity knee during the national anthem in protest of the police shootings of Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, and Freddie Gray. Following the controversy, the organization continued to support Kaepernick’s efforts with motivated hashtags and pushes for him to be picked up by another team.
In that, Black Lives Matter has fueled a following of supporters that continue to challenge them to reach their goals through social media, word-of-mouth, and donations.
The Martin family’s case for justice did not end at the verdict, along with Black Lives Matter, they continue to fight for reform. In 2013, the family had reached a settlement with Florida for an unknown amount. The same can be said for Eric Garner’s, Michael Brown’s, and Sandra Bland’s families. Brown’s family received a 1.5 million insurance settlement with the city of Ferguson; New York City reached a settlement of 5.9 million with Eric Garner’s family, while Sandra Bland’s family received a settlement of 1.9 million in a wrongful death lawsuit against Waller County.
Now in their sixth year, Black Lives Matter has created a staple for themselves. While they have reached high points, they are still in the fight for justice. On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was stopped by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 dollar bill to purchase cigarettes from a convenience store.
In the minutes following his arrest, Floyd had uttered the same words of Garner’s 20 times “I Can’t Breathe.” as Chauvin’s foot shoved into his neck.
The killing of the 46-year-old African American man had caught the attention of thousands of protesters across the nation, many arriving in locations to support Black Lives Matter. Months later following Floyd’s death, Chauvin pleaded guilty to third-degree murder. He is still awaiting his trial.
Black Lives Matter continues to transcend the global spectrum. They are heard more than ever in times of injustice and in their fight for less names on a long list – in their fight for a world where a young, African American teenager wearing a hoodie, carry with him a bag of skittles and an Arizona tea makes it back home.
Austin Urban Post 