The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) is deeply saddened and disturbed by the gut wrenching decision of the Florida jury in finding George Zimmerman not guilty in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Our prayers are with the Martin/Fulton families, and the millions who signed petitions, engaged in thoughtful discussions through social media and worked tirelessly to claim justice for a child who was killed after returning home from the store to purchase candy and iced tea.
While there are flaws in our system of justice, CBCF continues to believe in the judicial system of the United States. We also recognize that there is still much work to be done in re-examining laws which seemingly afford disparate protections under the law. As we fulfill our mission to develop leaders, inform policy and educate the public, CBCF encourages all Americans to become civically engaged and work with community groups, educators, faith institutions and legislators to closely examine our social and moral commitments toward the next generation.
We must not let this moment pass, but instead use it as a start to create the environment that Dr. Martin Luther King envisioned almost 50 years ago to the day “where you are not judged by the color of your skin, but the content of your character.” As we approach the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington and Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, we encourage each of you to join us Sept. 18-21, 2013, in Washington, DC for our Annual Legislative Conference. In light of the ruling in the Trayvon Martin case and the recent Supreme Court ruling on voting rights, it is clear that our pursuit for justice and civil rights continue.