As many of us remember, in 2012, 17- year old, unarmed Trayvon Martin was fatally gunned down by George Zimmerman while walking home in his Sanford, Florida neighborhood. Zimmerman was later acquitted of all charges; which infuriated the public. Trayvon’s murder quickly became one of the most racially controversial and talked-about cases of our time. Zimmerman has since broken numerous laws and violated many, including stalking the private investigator hired to speak with victims for this docuseries. However, somehow manages to avoid any real prison time; a direct example of the types of social injustices too common these days.
“There are a lot of social injustices occurring in our communities, and the problem needs to be rectified.”
– Tracy Martin
Through the Trayvon Martin Foundation, Trayvon’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, have committed their life to transforming tragedy into change. Their lives have been changed forever due to this senseless act of violence, and they channel all their strength and immeasurable pain into educating and helping others.
Paramount Network has now teamed up with Shawn Carter, best known as Jay-Z, and the Martins to help share their story with the world. Together, they bring us Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story; a six part docuseries that re-examines the life and legacy of Trayvon Martin, while taking a deeper look into the Black Lives Matter movement, which was birthed as a result of Trayvon’s murder. Make sure to tune in to BET tonight at 10/9c to view part one of this powerful television event.
Check out the official music video featuring The Root’s “Black Thought” below.
