--- title: Trayvon Martin's Mom on Michael Brown and Ferguson description: Travyon Martin's mom on Michael Brown shooting: "Michael is much more than a police/gun violence case; Michael is your son." canonical: https://time.com/3136685/travyon-sybrina-fulton-ferguson/ author: Sybrina Fulton article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-08-19T01:09:25.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:48:02.819Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Trayvon Martin's Mom to Michael Brown's Family: 'If They Refuse to Hear Us, We Will Make Them Feel Us' og:description: "I wish that all of the pain that I have endured could possibly ease some of yours" og:url: https://time.com/3136685/travyon-sybrina-fulton-ferguson/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcc9f8c44efcd732a/69869febd0b6f2e780305bc2/sybrina-fulton.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Sybrina Fulton of Miami, Fla., mother of Trayvon Martin, testifies during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "Stand Your Ground" laws October 29, 2013 in Washington DC. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trayvon Martin's Mom to Michael Brown's Family: 'If They Refuse to Hear Us, We Will Make Them Feel Us' twitter:description: "I wish that all of the pain that I have endured could possibly ease some of yours" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcc9f8c44efcd732a/69869febd0b6f2e780305bc2/sybrina-fulton.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 05:27 video:published: 2014-08-16 section: video topics: Michael Brown shooting, Ferguson protests, police violence, racial justice, memorial defacement, riots and looting, community unity, peaceful protest, Trayvon Martin comparison genre: documentary, street reporting tones: angry, grieving, defiant, reflective, urgent emotions: anger (high), grief (high), fear (medium), determination (medium) sentiment: negative audience: general news audiences, civil rights advocates, Ferguson residents, young adults people: Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman organizations: BET, CNN, Footlocker content_suitability: death [00:16-02:14]; violence [00:26-00:40]; crime [02:02-02:14]; politics [01:04-05:27]; tragedy [02:14-02:17]; profanity [04:18-04:24]; violence [04:27-05:11] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Trayvon Martin's Mom: 'If They Refuse to Hear Us, We Will Make Them Feel Us' > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=e146bcbb-0be6-4bb5-b8e2-6029e0285018&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: 'Am I next?' Ferguson's Protests Through the Eyes of a Teenager [Watch (HLS stream): 'Am I next?' Ferguson's Protests Through the Eyes of a Teenager](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/fStAJZ1s.m3u8) (5:27)  _Published 2014-08-16. TIME followed a teenager as residents of Ferguson, Mo. turned out to protest peacefully on Aug. 16_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary Street-level footage from a peaceful protest in Ferguson, Missouri, following the shooting death of Michael Brown. Several young residents speak about the killing, the police response, and their hopes for justice. Speakers discuss defacing of memorial sites, how the protests are drawing attention, and the riots and property damage that followed. The video ends with a group chanting 'Hands up, don't shoot.' ## Key points - A speaker says the shooting victim did not deserve to be shot that many times and did not have a gun on him. (00:26) - A speaker argues that police should shoot a suspect in the leg rather than shoot them in the head. (00:33) - A speaker says protesters should keep demonstrating every day until the victim gets justice. (00:46) - A speaker compares the case to the Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman case and says this is not Florida but St. Louis, Missouri. (01:04) - A speaker says the victim was 18 years old and was about to go to college, and says he was too young to die. (02:14) - A speaker says people should keep the victim's memory alive by not defacing property, and that writing on a memorial is what authorities want protesters to do. (02:41) - A speaker says the protest should unite African Americans and that people had to take action like this to get respect. (04:00) - A speaker says the riots and breaking into stores happened because the wider public paid attention only after the rioting, and says the stores would not have been broken into if the man had not been shot. (04:27) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 01:04] Walking with protesters after the shooting. Protesters walk through the crowd while residents react to the death and criticize how the victim was shot. - [01:04 to 02:02] Comparisons to earlier cases and youth. A speaker compares the case to Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman and reflects on the victim's young age and plans for college. - [02:02 to 03:13] Debate over memorial graffiti. Speakers discuss writing on a memorial, arguing about whether it honors the victim or amounts to defacing property. - [03:13 to 04:00] Protest as a form of resistance. A speaker argues that making the protest visible and loud is a way to be seen and heard. - [04:00 to 05:27] Unity, riots, and the chant. Speakers discuss unity, the riots and property damage that followed, and end with the crowd chanting 'Hands up, don't shoot.' ## Key quotes - [00:26] Protester: "he didn't deserve to die" - [01:11] Protester: "this aint Florida this is St. Louis Missouri" - [02:14] Protester: "He was 18, he was too young to die" - [02:41] Protester: "we've got to keep his memory alive by not defacing property" - [04:00] Protester: "This is how we all gotta unite bird, all of us african american" ## Questions this video answers - Why do the speakers believe the shooting victim's death was unjustified? [00:26] - How do the speakers connect this case to the Trayvon Martin case? [01:04] - What do the speakers say about the victim's age and plans? [02:02] - Why do some speakers oppose writing on the memorial? [02:41] - What do the speakers say about the riots and property damage? [04:27] - What do the protesters want, according to the chant and their statements? [03:25] ## Content suitability - death [00:16-02:14]: Speakers discuss the fatal shooting of a young man and the circumstances of his death. - violence [00:26-00:40]: Speakers describe the victim being shot multiple times, including in the head. - crime [02:02-02:14]: References to police shooting an unarmed man and to police getting away with it. - politics [01:04-05:27]: Discussion of police accountability, racial justice, and the response of authorities. - tragedy [02:14-02:17]: Reactions to a young person's death before college. - profanity [04:18-04:24]: Use of strong profanity during discussion of the riots. - violence [04:27-05:11]: Discussion of riots, breaking into stores, and buildings being burnt down. by [Sybrina Fulton](https://time.com/author/sybrina-fulton/) ## Sybrina Fulton Aug 19, 2014 1:09 AM UTC  Sybrina Fulton of Miami, Fla., mother of Trayvon Martin, testifies during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "Stand Your Ground" laws October 29, 2013 in Washington DC. Sybrina Fulton of Miami, Fla., mother of Trayvon Martin, testifies during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "Stand Your Ground" laws October 29, 2013 in Washington DC. Win McNamee—Getty Images by [Sybrina Fulton](https://time.com/author/sybrina-fulton/) ## Sybrina Fulton Aug 19, 2014 1:09 AM UTC _Sybrina Fulton is the mother of Trayvon Martin and the founder of the Trayvon Martin Foundation. In a letter to the family of Ferguson teen Michael Brown written exclusively for TIME, Fulton reflects on what the families now share._ To The Brown Family, I wish I had a word of automatic comfort but I don’t. I wish I could say that it will be alright on a certain or specific day but I can’t. I wish that all of the pain that I have endured could possibly ease some of yours but it won’t. What I can do for you is what has been done for me: pray for you then share my continuing journey as you begin yours. I hate that you and your family must join this exclusive yet growing group of parents and relatives who have lost loved ones to senseless gun violence. Of particular concern is that so many of these gun violence cases involve children far too young. But Michael is much more than a police/gun violence case; Michael is your son. A son that barely had a chance to live. Our children are our future so whenever any of our children – black, white, brown, yellow, or red – are taken from us unnecessarily, it causes a never-ending pain that is unlike anything I could have imagined experiencing. Further complicating the pain and loss in this tragedy is the fact that the killer of your son is alive, known, and currently free. In fact, he is on paid administrative leave. Your own feelings will bounce between sorrow and anger. Even when you don’t want to think about it because it is so much to bear, you will be forced to by merely turning on your television or answering your cell phone. You may find yourselves pulled in many different directions by strangers who may be well-wishers or detractors. Your circle will necessarily close tighter because the trust you once, if ever, you had in “the system” and their agents are forever changed. Your lives are forever changed. However with those changes come new challenges and opportunities. You will experience a swell of support from all corners of the world. Many will express their sympathies and encourage you to keep fighting for Michael. You will also, unfortunately, hear character assassinations about Michael which I am certain you already have. This will incense and insult you. All of this will happen before and continue long after you have had the chance to lay your son to rest. I know this because I lived and continue to live this. I have devoted my life to the comprehensive missions of [The Trayvon Martin Foundation](http://trayvonmartinfoundation.org) – including providing support to families that have lost a young child to senseless gun violence regardless of race, ethnicity or gender. I will support you and your efforts to seek justice for your Michael and the countless other Michaels & Trayvons of our country. The 20 Sandy Hook children. Jordan Davis. Oscar Grant. Kendrick Johnson. Sean Bell. Hadya Pendleton. The Aurora shooting victims. The list is too numerous to adequately mention them all. According to The Children’s Defense Fund, gun violence is the second leading cause of death for children ages 1-19\. That is a horrible fact. Facts, myths, and flat out lies are already out there in Michael’s case. Theories, regardless of how ridiculous, are being pondered by the pundits. My advice is to surround yourselves with proven and trusted support. Through it all, I never let go of my faith, my family, or my friends. Long after the overwhelming media attention is gone, you will need those three entities to find your ‘new normal.’ Honor your son and his life, not the circumstances of his alleged transgressions. I have always said that Trayvon was not perfect. But no one will ever convince me that my son deserved to be stalked and murdered. No one can convince you that Michael deserved to be executed. But know this: neither of their lives shall be in vain. The galvanizations of our communities must be continued beyond the tragedies. While we fight injustice, we will also hold ourselves to an appropriate level of intelligent advocacy. If they refuse to hear us, we will make them feel us. Some will mistake that last statement as being negatively provocative. But feeling us means feeling our pain; imagining our plight as parents of slain children. We will no longer be ignored. We will bond, continue our fights for justice, and make them remember our children in an appropriate light. I would hate to think that our lawmakers and leaders would need to lose a child before protecting the rest of them and making the necessary changes NOW… With Heartfelt Support, Sybrina D. Fulton Read TIME’s cover story on [After Trayvon](http://time.com/3140009/trayvon-martin-zimmerman-trial-cover-story/). ## Transcript [00:16] [ NOISE ]. [ MUSIC ] This where [00:24] we going out here man, it's crazy out here though. Man [00:26] he shouldn't. He shouldn't have, he didn't deserve to [00:29] die. I mean he didn't deserve that many shots though. [00:33] Like you can shoot something in their leg to stop them [00:33] from running. You can somebody in they leg to stop [00:33] them from running but you ain't gotta shoot then down [00:34] bro. Why you gotta shoot him in the head? He ain't [00:40] even got no gun on him. That's crazy. I feel [00:46] like they should keep protesting till it's over with. And [00:46] if it ain't, and if he don't get justice then, that's just [00:46] what's gonna happen man, we gonna be out here [00:46] every day until something happen. Come on now let's [00:48] keep walking. I [01:04] saw Trayvon Martin, I saw George Zimmer get away [01:07] with it. Now, now, now its another case now if these [01:11] police get away with it now I'm telling you man this aint [01:14] Florida this is St. Louis Missouri. Come on brother. [01:16] [ MUSIC ] Quit talking bout my [01:25] R bird. He [01:41] was so young man. Man, he was gonna go [01:47] to college like, what if that was me man. If 14 I'm just [01:51] now going to school and stuff. Like, what if that was me [01:54] gonna go to college. Like and then the only [01:58] person in my family, and then I die right before the [02:01] day the school starts [ MUSIC ] What is that all about, [02:02] what's that? He [02:14] was 18, he was too young to die.. What is that though? [02:17] I dunno what that is, that's them. Lemme ask you [02:21] something, if it don't make a point then why do it? [02:24] They put this on here, i'm trying to scrape it off so I [02:24] can write on it. But that's what i'm saying, why put it on [02:25] that? When you can go get a piece of paper and put it [02:29] on that. [02:32] Mike [02:34] Mike made a statement in time, you [02:39] know what i'm saying? And we've got to keep his [02:41] memory alive by not defacing property. And [02:45] this is what they want y'all to do. This is defacing [02:49] property. Look at this, this don't een say nothing [02:53] no more. When the rain comes it can be washed away. [02:58] But this right here, will never be washed away. All of [03:01] these people out here will never be washed away. But [03:05] I bet if you get out there in the middle of the street [03:07] they gonna see you because your age. Its [03:13] all about its just like fighting with your with your mind [03:15] fight with a pen or a paper or a marker you know what [03:17] I'm saying make it bigger. In [03:22] every way, so they could see it. All right. [ MUSIC ] No [03:25] peace. No peace. Don't shoot. Hands up >> Don't [03:27] shoot .>> Hands up >> Don't shoot .>> Hands up [03:30] Don't shoot. Hands. Don't shoot, hands up. Don't [03:32] shoot, hands. Don't shoot, hands up. This is how [04:00] we all gotta unite bird, all of us african american. To [04:04] the night, this what it lead us to me. Everybody holding [04:06] hands everybody showing love. Everybody saying here [04:09] to support, that's what going on right now. This [04:14] what we gotta do to get respect, like. And what's so [04:18] crazy about it that, ain't nobody hear us until we do [04:21] ****, until we do stuff like this. Like from the riot, [04:24] everybody breaking stuff. Didn't nobody trip off of that [04:27] until everybody started breaking. Though, it was all on [04:28] BET, CNN. Everyone wasn't worrying [04:33] about the Michael brown death. You got bigger and [04:37] better, bigger and other things to worry about than [04:39] people breaking into these stores. I understand what [04:42] they did was wrong, but you gotta realize if the law [04:42] gonna sit there and shoot this man like that, we [04:43] wouldn't go through none of [04:50] this. The stores wouldn't have gotten broken into. [04:50] Broke into, footlocker wouldn't get broke into, [04:55] this wouldn't get [05:02] burnt down, if it [05:11] weren't for them. And this is where [05:18] we go. 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