Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of a nation in which people would be judged by their character rather than the color of their skin.

At 8 p.m. Wednesday, the anniversary of King’s death, approximately 20 people pulled hoods over their heads, linked hands and formed a circle in front of Hendricks Chapel to acknowledge that King’s vision had not yet been fulfilled.

‘We’re trying to continue the vision that Dr. Martin Luther King had and show that 44 years later there are still injustices that he was fighting against,’ said Lorraine Sanchez, a junior English and textual studies and women’s and gender studies major.

Sanchez, a member of the Malik Melodies Sisterhood Inc., was one of the Syracuse University students responsible for bringing the ‘1,000 Campus Vigil for Trayvon’ to campus. Through the movement, which was organized through social media by Malik Fraternity Inc., vigils were held simultaneously at 8:02 p.m., the time of Martin’s death, on college campuses across the United States.

Both Malik organizations are not based at SU, but the sisterhood has members enrolled at the university. The Malik Sisterhood is a nonprofit organization that works to develop leaders and instill motivation, determination and a sense of commitment in women.

‘It’s bringing awareness to several different campuses, from California to Mississippi, Florida, all over the East Coast,’ said David Almonte, a junior economics major at Binghamton University and a member of Malik who attended the event.

Almonte said the vigil was intended to remember Martin, the 17-year-old boy who was shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida on Feb. 26, and recognize the victims of racism and bigotry that receive less media attention than Martin.

‘We all need to take action,’ said Juceliz Batista, a junior policy studies major. ‘People think that because you can’t tackle things at a national level, that you can’t make a difference. But start with the little things and make a difference from the bottom to the top.’

The vigil at SU began with opening remarks from Almonte and Batista, who emphasized the importance of positive action in the wake of Martin’s death. Then, members of the circle looked up at a clear sky and shared a moment of silence to remember Martin.

For the rest of the approximately 20-minute vigil, activists took turns entering the circle to read speeches or perform spoken word poetry about Martin’s death, racism and social responsibility. Speakers emphasized the need for action, calling on one another to continue the movement beyond the vigil by telling their friends and spreading awareness.

‘When you leave here today, don’t just keep it to yourself,’ said one speaker. ‘People need to hear us. We cannot stop here.’

nagorny@syr.edu 

Published on April 4, 2012 at 12:00 pm