Trayvon Martin case garners support from students, Winston-Salem community

The cry for justice for Trayvon Martin reached Winston-Salem State March 28 as students and others from the Winston-Salem community participated in a march to bring Martin's killer to justice.
A protest march started at the Clock Tower and ended at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and Cromartie Street.
Participants were lined along the street waving Skittles' bags.
"Trayvon Martin is the inspiration for it [the march]," said Larry Little, associate professor in the Department of Social Sciences.
 Martin was the unarmed 17-year-old boy who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old community watch coordinator of mixed ethnic descent.
The incident occurred as Martin was walking from a convenience store Feb. 26, in Sanford, Fla.
Zimmerman told police who arrived on the scene that the shooting was self-defense.
The circumstances around Martin's death have been receiving national and international attention. The issues involve Florida's "Stand Your Ground Law," allegations of racial motivations,  and police misconduct have triggered public demands for Zimmerman's arrest, according to media reports.
"People can identify [with the shooting] because he was a young man in a gated community," Little said.
"We are out here because we want justice for Trayvon Martin."
Jonathan Whitfield, a junior political science major from Winston-Salem, said the protest made him more conscious of racism in America.
"Many people think that racism is gone until you hear about stories like this one," Whitfield said.
"For someone not to get involved and not say something is an injustice. That's why I chose to get involved."
Senior nursing major from Durham, Shaquel Williams, participated in the march with her friends.
"The African-American community has experienced so many injustices," Williams said.
"As an African-American woman it is my duty to come out and march for any issues concerning my race."
Various campus organizations participated.
Michael Anthony, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. said that what happened to Martin unified the Greek community.
"When there is an injustice like this, we have to come out and show that we [Greeks] do care about what happens," Anthony said.
Kayla Porter-Cox, a history major from Salem College, said that young African Americans get killed every day, but those events are not usually reported by the media.  Porter-Cox is a Caucasian woman.
"You have to stand together," she said.
"Speak out, and don't let an injustice like this slow you down."
Members from the Nation of Islam were present.
Dwayne X, 39, real estate agent from Winston-Salem said that they [Nation of Islam] believe that the protest is something that should be ongoing.
"Our race has been served injustice for too long," Dwayne X said.
Dwayne X said that the Nation of Islam has no plans for what they will do about the Martin case, but he said they will act when the community needs them.
Whitfield said that there should be another protest but there is no time or date set.
"We are trying to figure out what else we can do for the family [Martin family]," Whitfield said.
"I know I will be involved in whatever we do."
Visit www.thenewsargus.com to see a PSA produced by students in the Mass Communications Department.