00:00Well, it has been one week since George Zimmerman became a free man.
00:04An all-female jury found him not guilty of second-degree murder in Trayvon Martin's death.
00:09And many people still can't believe it.
00:11They have launched many peaceful rallies across the country pushing for change.
00:15SS Magazine has just kicked off a new social media campaign.
00:19It's hashtag he's not a suspect.
00:23And Donnie Walton joins me now from New York.
00:25She's the deputy managing editor at Essence.
00:27Donnie, thanks for being with us here on this Sunday.
00:30Let's start with how this campaign actually works.
00:33I know thousands of people have already taken to their social networking sites to start it.
00:38Absolutely.
00:38So, you know, we interact with our social audience every day at Essence.
00:42And when the verdict came down, we had so many mothers who were just in despair about how their sons were being perceived.
00:51And so we wanted to start a really positive movement to change these stereotypes,
00:56these perceptions of the kind that killed Trayvon Martin.
01:00And so we started, he is not a suspect, asking our readers to take a photo of themselves with a young black man that they care about,
01:08tell us why he's wonderful, and hashtag it, he is not a suspect.
01:11And we just had an overwhelming response.
01:14And as you mentioned, a lot of your readers, it's targeted to black women.
01:18A lot of them have sons.
01:19And they responded, you know, it started a conversation of what do I talk about with my son?
01:23How do I tell him?
01:24How do I explain this verdict?
01:25It's been doing this online, also in town halls.
01:28There was one held in Atlanta this week.
01:29We want to play you some sound, and we'll talk to you at the other end of it.
01:33You know, like with every, I guess, black mom or two or her teenage son,
01:38when you're in coming contact with a policeman, make sure you say yes, sir,
01:42and make sure you don't do anything to cause any rip.
01:47When you're in the store, don't walk with your hands in your pocket,
01:50because, you know, this always brings on suspicions as well.
01:53So have you heard from your readers?
01:55Are they having similar conversations with their children?
01:58They absolutely are.
02:00And it's very sad that we have to have those kinds of conversations.
02:05But it is really about keeping our young boys safe.
02:09And, of course, a mother would do anything to keep her son safe.
02:13And so you have to have those conversations with them about how to respond to police
02:17or how to make it through day to day, you know.
02:22And what has been the reaction online?
02:24You know, you say you post a picture, hashtag it, he is not a suspect.
02:27And I'm sure people are replying to some of those pictures.
02:30What are they saying?
02:31You know, we have gotten a lot of gratitude for people very grateful
02:37that we are putting forth such positive images.
02:41I mean,
02:42So,
02:42you know,
02:42you know,
02:43that we have been raising money.
02:44You know,
02:44people who are public
02:44areani.
02:44That we've been raising money as far as some bills.
02:46Never be new shortages.
02:46I meanā
02:46ah,
02:47I mean,
02:47people who are looking at their privatelaus
02:48businesses.
02:48Including these issues, I meanā
03:02We're ā
03:03No,
03:03but we do either.
03:04People who are selling my balls,
03:04people whoā¦
03:05I meanā
03:06I'm so sorry if anyone's stuck by my organize.
03:06I mean,
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