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Almost 9 years. That’s how long it has been since we lost Trayvon Martin.
Now, at the turn of the decade, we’ve seen many more people of color killed by law enforcement and little to no repercussions faced. Over the past few months, while the world has been on lockdown, marches have taken place to protest a new generation’s injustices –namely Ahmaud Aubery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor— which many believe arose after Martin was killed by George Zimmerman.
While Zimmerman was acquitted on all charges, the death of Martin will never be forgotten– and now his hometown is making sure that never happens. Martin was a Miami Gardens native, and now a .3 mile stretch outside of his former high school on NE 16th Avenue will be renamed after him, as Trayvon Martin Avenue.
“Trayvon Martin was a typical teenager who enjoyed playing video games, listening to music, watching movies, and talking and texting on the phone,” according to the resolution, whose primary sponsor was Commissioner Barbara Jordan. It continues, saying the 17-year-old “was also developing advanced mechanical skills and, among other things, was known to be able to build and fix dirt bikes. Martin intended to stay close to home and attend college at either the University of Miami or Florida A&M University.”
In 2012, Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman, called police saying he saw someone suspicious roaming around. Law enforcement told him to back down, but he approached the teen away. After a scuffle ensued, Martin was fatally shot by Zimmerman.
Even after his acquittal of first-degree murder, Zimmerman still remains in the spotlight, having sued both of Martin’s parents in December 2019 for $100 million, claiming he was being framed.
The renaming of the street will occur sometime this week, according to CNN.
