![](\"https:\/\/convergencecoaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BR-Headshot-300x300.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t<\/div>\nWednesday, February 5th<\/sup> would have been Trayvon Martin\u2019s 30th<\/sup> birthday. As I reflect on all the milestones he and his family have missed experiencing over the last 13 years, I couldn\u2019t help but to also think of how his untimely death sparked a movement towards justice and equality amongst a new generation of activists.<\/span><\/p>\n I was a sophomore in college when I first heard about Trayvon\u2019s murder. I remember scrolling through Twitter, when I stumbled upon a post from a fellow classmate detailing their outrage. Soon after, our university\u2019s BSU (Black Student Union) brought up the incident in a meeting, offering to discuss ways we could fight for justice on campus and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n Growing up a Black woman in the south, vitriol and violence at the hands of \u201cothers\u201d was something I experienced often. I\u2019ve had my fair share of incidents of racism from classmates, adults, and strangers alike, simply for existing in spaces they felt I \u201cdidn\u2019t belong.\u201d Up until 2012, I\u2019ve faced adversity with silence and turned the other cheek, hoping to de-escalate the animosity thrown my way. The news of Trayvon\u2019s murder was nothing new, but knowing he was nearly my age — only two years younger — lit a fire within me that couldn\u2019t be put out.<\/span><\/p>\n Trayvon could have been my brother, my friend, or even me<\/em>. Knowing he was murdered in a place where he should have felt safe, fueled that fire even more. Trayvon was walking back from a convenience store through his aunt\u2019s neighborhood, when a civilian decided he \u201cdidn\u2019t belong\u201d and took it upon himself to intercede and ultimately kill Trayvon. Trayvon was murdered in a community where he and his family should have felt included and safe.<\/span><\/p>\n At only 17-years-old, Trayvon was robbed of the opportunity to go to college, to thrive in a career, to get married, have children of his own, to grow old<\/em><\/strong><\/span>. I refuse to allow his death to be in vain or allow us to regress as a society. As I reflect on all the conversations started, activism sparked, and actions that came from this tragedy, I can\u2019t help but see how far we still have to go to ensure that justice and equality for ALL becomes a reality.\u00a0 I will continue to speak up and fight for equality and inclusion for everyone, even those who don\u2019t view me as their equal<\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s address the elephant in the room surrounding the current pressure on DEI practices and vulnerable populations in our country. The current rhetoric against DEI is being used to further divide us and alienate those who are made to feel that they don\u2019t belong. We\u2019ve come such a long way from the segregationist practices of Jim Crow, why would we roll back? Ensuring those who have different backgrounds are included, and accommodating those who are differently abled should not feel threatening by any means. Being born different from the status quo does not make a person any less deserving of safety and inclusivity. This division only perpetuates stronger hate and misjudgments about kids like Trayvon or the 19-year-old me who was awakened by his death. Being \u201canti-DEI\u201d further makes our world an unsafe space.<\/span><\/p>\n When we accept diversity, we have the opportunity to view the world from different perspectives. Equity ensures that we all get a fair <\/strong><\/span>opportunity. Inclusion creates a safe space for everyone to be open and feel free enough to be themselves<\/em><\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n