VIBE Hits the Streets: 'Million Hoodie' Protesters React to Trayvon Martin Killing

Kamilah, 23 “I’m here for Trayvon Martin. I’m from Atlanta, Georgia, I live in a gated community as well, and I have a younger brother and younger cousins. I would be totally demolished if someone thought that my younger brother and younger cousins were some kind of thug because of how they looked. And this Trayvon Martin story is something that happens all over America all the time. However, in this story George Zimmerman has not been accused, or arrested, or convicted of any crime, and he’s sleeping in his own bed tonight. So therefore, we’re all here for Trayvon, to talk for him, to shout for him. We all hope that his family will be okay and that he rests in peace.” Sarah, 26 “I came out today because I want to stand against fear. I think this is a classical case of people acting on fear. The man who killed this young boy acted out of fear, out of paranoia. I think the neighbors that overheard the incident also acted out of fear, instead of going out and seeing what they could do to help. Everybody’s afraid and indoors, and protecting themselves. I think that if we lived a little less afraid, Trayvon would still be alive today.”

Marie, 25 “I’m here because this shouldn’t happen to anybody. Racial profiling shouldn't happen to anybody. This could be any of our sons, any of our brothers, any of our cousins, and it's beautiful that we all came here together for that. And I hope that it changes. I really hope that it changes soon." Julie, 30 “I’m mostly here because it’s a human rights issue. All American, all people, have the right to walk the streets safely and be protected by the law. And the idea that there’s a law in Florida that allows so many loopholes that things like this can happen, I mean, human rights and rights to be safe on the street and protecting this child’s life should trump state law no matter what. I think these need to be looked at more on a federal level so that racism, and other -isms aren’t implicitly being legalized through those kinds of laws.”

Laverne, 80 “I’m a part of the protest like everyone else, you know, most of the people that are here. I have seen injustice in this country for so long and it breaks my heart. I have a grandson this child’s age and it could be him, walking along the street, or it could be any of the kids that I know. I remember being in a demonstration a few years ago, and this one woman was there, another African American woman, who had a little black book. It was telling young Black men how to conduct themselves on the street. It was just a protective thing, to be careful. It’s the kind of thing you should not have to do in a civilized country and it breaks my heart. It makes me sick; it really, really does. And if I could raise my voice and say anything against this, I will. We don’t get the proper police protection. And I’ve seen how many times the police are in collusion with these people. All we can do is express our dismay.”

DJ Hard Hittin’ Harry “I’m here to bring light to a tragic situation, the unfortunate death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. It hurts me because I’m a parent, this is my daughter, I have a 10-year-old daughter. I also have an older son and an older daughter, so it could have been my children. It could have been me, it could have been you. So, that alone brought me her, to show solidarity, to show my support for the arrest of George Zimmerman. And also, I brought my daughter so she can see how action can spur results. And also to bring light to the law, the Stand Your Ground law in Florida, which is appalling. I can’t understand how you can shoot first, and ask later in Florida. My diaghter and were talking about it and I was explaining it to her, and that’s why we’re here.” Malidada, 10 “When my dad first told me about this, I though it was really unfair, and not worth it. I read about it, I’ve spoke to my dad about it. I just thought, ‘This isn’t right.’ I came here to also support justice and stuff so that this can’t continue to happen.” John Forte “Why am I here, why is John Forte here? Because there is no other alternative. I hope to see that when people galvanize that there is indeed strength in numbers and that speaking truth to power and actually effectuate change rather than just rhetoric. ‘If we don’t stand for something we’ll fall for anything,’ and I can’t take the credit for that, but these are dire circumstances and we need to have justice. Whether we look at our justice system and see the injustice in that, or whether it’s an isolated incident, its all connected. And we all live under the same blue sky and that’s why we need to some out and be here for the purposes of solidarity, as well as strength and truth and power.”

Eugene, 28 “[I’m here] just to show support. To show I’m behind, one hundred percent, the cause. This is something that, personally, I believe that justice need to be served for this individual. And for anybody, anybody who has children, anybody who has a sibling, anybody that has family members, we’re going to relate to that. It just touched my heart to hear this story and those are items I love: Skittles and iced tea. I was a kid once, I was 17 once, and for this kid to not have a future because of suspicious views or a prejudice of any kind, I think it’s wrong. And the fact that this guy had yet to be arrested, is something that deeply pains me.”