Trayvon Martin

Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old boy that was shot and killed by a member of a local community watch program; his death served as a catalyst for protest movements around the country addressing the issues of police brutality, racially motivated killings of young black men, and the persistence of racism, even in 21st-century America. Martin was staying with his father in Sanford, Florida, and walked to a nearby convenience store for a bag of Skittles and a beverage; on the return trip, his mere presence alarmed George Zimmerman, who pursued Martin despite being directed by 911 operators not to. A physical altercation ensued, and Zimmerman ultimately shot Martin in the chest.

Born in Miami, Martin was a student at Dr. Michael M. Krop High School in Miami-Dade; he had previously attended Norland Middle School, Highland Oaks Middle School, and Miami Carol City High School. He was not employed, but did small jobs to earn money, such as washing cars, babysitting, and cutting grass. When he was a child, he played football for the Wolverines at Forzano Park in Miami, a location where he volunteered at the concession stand as a teenager. He also enjoyed fixing, building, and riding dirt bikes. He had an interest in aviation due to a seven-week program he attended when he was 14; this would later translate to time spent at the George T. Baker Aviation School. He hoped to one day enroll as a student at Florida A&M University or the University of Miami, but his tragic end meant this would never come to pass.