Tallahassee, FL – On Feb. 26, 2012, African-American high school student Trayvon Martin was gunned down in Sanford, Florida. His murderer is George Zimmerman, a 29-year-old man who maliciously stalked the 17-year-old Martin under the grounds of his ‘looking suspicious.’

One year later, 50 students from Florida State University Dream Defenders, an organization lead by Black and brown youth, stood together in a semi-circle to hear the words of the speakers at a protest to demand justice for Trayvon Martin.

“This happened a year ago but every day between that time plenty of people have been gunned down and assaulted for being a person of color,” said the membership coordinator of Dream Defenders, Regina Joseph. “So we’re here because we need to let people know that this problem still exists and that they can change it.”

Leaders within the Black and brown community on Florida State’s campus and the Dream Defenders brought together students who were filled with grief, outrage and determination.

“I am not dangerous!” said Kristen Bonner, a recent graduate of Florida State University and executive board member of Dream Defenders. “My brothers are not dangerous! I am sick and tired of being deemed suspicious because of the color of my skin! I am sick and tired of being considered a threat by the white supremacist values that live and breathe within the powers that be that steal the power to live and breathe from the marginalized and the oppressed!”

Florida’s legislative session starts at the state’s capital on March 5. The Dream Defenders plan on speaking out against the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law and the ‘School to Prison Pipeline.’

#TallahasseeFL #AntiRacism #TrayvonMartin #GeorgeZimmerman #DreamDefenders