Although Wednesday’s forum and vigil to honor Trayvon Martin was meant to inspire students to combat racial stereotypes, some attendees said they were disturbed by the statements guest speakers made near the end of the event.
About 100 university community members attended the forum sponsored by the university’s women’s studies, American studies and African-American studies departments to discuss how to prevent future tragedies in the wake of the death of the 17-year-old Martin, who was shot and killed in Florida in February. Afterward, a crowd of about 300 people gathered for a candlelight vigil sponsored by Malik Fraternity Inc. in front of the Nyumburu Cultural Center, where a number of speakers took the microphone, including members of the New Black Panther Party.
Crowd members booed one speaker who said Martin’s death was a byproduct of black fathers neglecting their children. Martin was visiting his father at the time of his death.
“Black boys are being raised by their mothers, taking on their characteristics,” said the speaker, a New Black Panther Party member.
Aaron McGrew, an IT support assistant at Nyumburu and Black Male Initiative member, used several expletives during his turn at the microphone.
“Be pissed about this every day, because it happens every day,” McGrew said. “And to the couple of white students in the crowd, it is definitely a race issue.”
Several students said they felt uncomfortable near the end and that the speakers had undermined the purpose of the vigil.
“The vigil in the beginning was beautiful, but it began to feel like quicksand where people can easily begin to feel upset,” junior theater major Erica Philpot said.
However, several students said they were inspired by the earlier forum, where a panel of professors and experts from various departments shared their opinions on how to combat racial stereotypes. The panelists discussed whether African-Americans should change the way they dress or wear their hair to avoid racial profiling, or whether they should confront those labels by dressing however they want.
Fareed Hayat, an attorney who also spoke on the panel, shared a personal experience of sitting in a the front row of a courtroom reserved for attorneys and being asked to move, which he attributed to his race and appearance.
“The discussion was an intellectual conversation on a sensational topic,” senior government and politics and theater major Kiara Tinch said.
In spite of the varying opinions, several students and panelists agreed that social change is needed in the wake of Martin’s death.
“Our anger must be directed to the system,” said women’s studies professor Jeffrey McCune, who sat on the panel. “What is important is that we remember Trayvon Martin, his family and what he could have been.”
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