00:00I have not gotten to the point where I have forgiven the person that shot and killed my son.
00:06Prior to this, I was just an average mom, working an average job, living in an average house, taking care of average kids.
00:13It took my son to be shot down before I stood up because I never expected to be a community activist, to be a spokesperson, to be an author.
00:22You know, I never expected those things in my life. I just didn't see those things.
00:26I have become a voice for my son, Trayvon Martin, and also Jabaris Fulton, which is my oldest son.
00:33And so I just think about them. And when I think about them, it just makes me want to continue to move.
00:39I came from a long line of strong black women. I've just watched them.
00:44I watched how strong they were and how they persevered through whatever tragedy, whatever trauma, whatever issue, situation that happened.
00:54I'm not saying that they didn't hurt or they didn't cry, but they moved forward with the family, being strong and together.
01:01And so I think that was instilled in me when I was younger to just be a strong woman, regardless of what obstacles might come in your way.
01:10Just continue to be strong and move forward.
01:13I think black people are not forced to forgive, but they are expected to forgive because there's so many times where we have forgiven people who have done mean, evil and nasty things to us.
01:26And so a lot of times people think that that's what you're supposed to do.
01:30You're supposed to say that you forgive the person.
01:32If I don't feel it, I'm not going to say it.
01:34It has to sit well with your spirit. It has to sit well with your soul.
01:38I have not gotten to the point where I have forgiven the person that shot and killed my son.
01:44And so I'm very honest with myself. I'm very honest when people ask me that question.
01:48And so that's what I've learned about myself as it relates to forgiveness.
01:52I think I'm going through the process.
01:54And even though seven years may seem long, it's not long for me, you know.
01:59And so I have to do it in my own time.
02:01I'm not looking at any textbooks.
02:03I'm not listening to any counselor or anybody tell me that I should be in a position where I'm forgiven right now.
02:11I shouldn't be in a position where I forgive the person that shot and killed my son.
02:16So it's going to be in my own time and it's going to be on my own terms.
02:20And so I just believe that my healing is tied with who I am.
02:27And I can't connect the person who shot and killed my son with myself.
02:31Trayvon's life sparked the Black Lives Matter movement and also my brother's keeper through the Obama Foundation.
02:39Those organizations are necessary and they're needed.
02:43I think the momentum was very strong at first and it kind of died out.
02:48But I think it's picking back up at this time because a lot of people are going through some of the same things and we need those organizations in place to strengthen our communities, to strengthen our black and brown boys, to strengthen our families.
03:03I would like for the Black Lives Matter movement and my brother's keeper to be more prevalent in communities, to be doing not just in name, but actually in actions and work to actually see the young men.
03:21I recently went to a summit for my brother's keeper and I want to see more of those summits.
03:27I want to see more of those forums.
03:29I want to see more of our young African-American males.
03:33I want to see more of them learning from the older leaders.
03:38A lot of people were with us when Trayvon first got killed.
03:41And I think now that it's seven years later, we still have some people that are still supporting us.
03:49And that's important.
03:50You know, a foundation is only as good as the work that you're able to do, the missions that you can carry out.
03:56And I think that we've been carrying out those missions through people continuing to support us.
04:03I'm very proud of, you know, just the foundation as a whole.
04:06We have grown each year.
04:08We're growing more and more people with the Peace Walk.
04:11I really enjoy the Circle of Mothers because it gives me an opportunity to bond with other mothers like myself
04:17who has lost a child through senseless gun violence.
04:20And it's about healing.
04:21It's about empowerment and educating.
04:23And, you know, we laugh, we cry, we hug, we do all of those things.
04:28And so I just like being around other mothers who I know that understand how I'm feeling.
04:33I'm very proud of the Circle of Fathers, what Tracy has done with the Circle of Fathers,
04:37what, trying to make men better fathers in their homes.
04:41Also, we have a back-to-school program that, you know, we give out about 500 book bags and supplies
04:47to students before they go back to school.
04:50Very proud of our youth program.
04:53We do a youth summit every year.
04:55In October, we reach out to about 1,200 students.
04:58We talk about all of those tough subjects that, you know, kids usually don't want to talk about.
05:05Teen suicide, social media.
05:09We talk about gun violence.
05:12Just everything.
05:13Whatever we think that is on the young people's minds, you know, we want to make sure that we're discussing those issues.
05:20And we give them a forum to talk about it and discuss it and listen to other kids
05:24because a lot of times they're feeling the same way.
05:26They just don't know how to ask the question.
05:29And then I know I have to keep going.
05:31And so I can't give up.
05:32I think I came too far to give up.
05:35And so I just keep going.
05:37And I don't know how I'm able to do it even when I'm tired.
05:41I just keep going.
05:42I do it for my son.
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