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For Sybrina Fulton, mother of slain Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, her sons death was a wake-up call.

People herself included arent acting quickly enough to address social issues, she said Tuesday.

Fulton addressed a crowd of about 65 people at the third annual Women of Wisdom Luncheon, part of the 111th Annual Session of the National Baptist Congress.

I waited until my son was shot down before I stood up, she said at the event at the Caribe Royal Orlando Convention Center.

Describing herself as motivated and upbeat, Fulton discussed her passion for social justice and how her spirituality helped her cope with Trayvons death.

Trayvon was 17 when neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman fatally shot him in February 2012. In July 2013, Zimmerman was acquitted of murder at trial.

On Tuesday, Fulton talked about the Black Lives Matter movement, which arose out of her sons death, and the importance of being politically engaged, telling attendees they needed to do a lot more than just like a page on social media.

Were in dire distress. We cant afford not to do anything. Weve come too far to turn back now, she said. You have to be very careful what side of history youre on.

Fulton also criticized current approaches to addressing violence, saying activists needed to be more realistic.

According to her, rallies and gun buyback programs dont effectively address the issue criminals wont voluntarily hand over their firearms in exchange for a Walmart giftcard. Instead, she said, ex-felons should reach out to people currently engaged in criminal activity.

Though at times seemingly critical of American society and even the White House, Fulton was optimistic about the future.

I see that the country is starting to unite. We are standing with each other, were trying to make a difference, were trying to make [a] positive impact, she said. We have to know that a brighter day is coming.

Fulton also promoted her new book, Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin, which she co-authored with her ex-husband, Tracy Martin. Fulton described the process of recording her story as extremely difficult.

She said she is unapologetic for her grief over the loss of a son whom she said loved babies and was friends with everyone. Though she has difficulty visiting Sanford, where Trayvon was killed, and sometimes blames Tracy Martin for taking him there, Fulton said her faith in God helped her through the experience.

I would never have picked this particular life out for myself, Fulton said. I just try to live everyday as if I have hope for another day.

acheatham@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5020

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Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, urges audience to take action - Orlando Sentinel

Following the 2012 murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and the subsequent acquittal of his killer George Zimmerman, the Black Lives Matter organization was formed. With the sole purpose to re-build the black liberation movement, the national chapter based organization has merited praise from many, and harsh criticisms from conservatives as well as African-Americans.

READ Sybrina Fulton: Still Healing. Still Standing. Still Marching Until Justice For All

Last week, Minnesota OfficerJeronimo Yanez was found not guilty in the July 2016 shooting death of Philando Castile. The verdict was a slap in the face to his surviving family and many across the country as Castiles death was streamed live on Facebook. Marches erupted across the country calling the verdict another miscarriage of justice that often befalls black men and women when it comes to police brutality.

Over the weekend, Stevie Wonder attended a peace summit in St. Paul, Minn. The community gathering was a response to the violence taking place in the area, and also just so happened to coincide with the Castile verdict. Wonder, a 29-time-Grammy Award winning musician, addressed the crowd and insisted that black people in this country should begin loving and respecting themselves more.

It is in your hands to stop all the killing and all the shooting wherever it might be, because you cannot say black lives matter and then kill yourselves, Wonder said. Because you know, weve mattered long before it was said.

READ Former Black Panther Party Chairwoman Says Black Lives Matter Has A Plantation Mentality

A few members in the audience clapped in agreement with the entertainer before he explained what he thinks needs to be done to reduce the crime within the black community. Watch the video below to hear Wonder offer his explanation.

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Stevie Wonder: You Cannot Say Black Lives Matter And Then Kill Yourselves - Vibe

The following is an opinion piece and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Clarion, its staff or the institution. If you would like to submit a response or an opinion piece of your own, please contact Editor in Chief Abby Petersen at ajp87848@bethel.edu. Samuel Krueger |Columnist

Four years ago, the scab over the supposedly healing wound of racial prejudice in America was torn off. A man was shot in Sanford, Florida. Two names emerged to the forefront of American media: Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman.

Shortly after the incident, Black Lives Matter was formed and relative unrest in the aftermath of the use of deadly force from police has been pervasive ever since.

There are two sides in these circumstances, those who side with the police, or perhaps the murderer, and those who side with the criminal, or perhaps the victim. Because of the polarizing nature of these events, Blue Lives Matter emerged. I preface with this because I generally consider myself very trusting of the police, therefore, I am solidly under the Blue Lives Matter hashtag. I believe that our police officers are often times put in positions that are dangerous, scary and complicated. I also believe that the prominent culture in many black neighborhoods and a continued lack of communication between law enforcement and African American communities perpetuates an atmosphere of unsafe circumstances for people of color and police officers alike. This puts both sides in positions to do unreasonable and uncalculated things.

Generally, I am relieved when an officer in this position is acquitted. However, the circumstances of the Philando Castille case were different. Castile was killed only miles from where I live. Minnesota is my home. This didnt happen in some far away state. I pictured the faces of some of my closest friends, people of color, in Castiles position. Until that morning, I never understood what it was like to be afraid for someone I love from a group of people I trust to keep me safe.

I want to move beyond the fact that this shooting was unjustified. To me, that much is obvious. I want to talk about the lack of response from the National Rifle Association.

The NRA has always been the first line of defense for our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. They have spent millions and millions of dollars to lobby the government and have mobilized millions of people to march, demonstrate and vote to protect our rights. The NRA is possibly the most powerful advocacy group in America, boasting a membership of more than 5 million active members.

I regularly see stories on their social media of the concealed carrier who stopped a bank robbery, the elderly person who scared off a mugger or the woman who shot her would-be rapist. The NRA plays a big role in cases such as these. Even when someones life is in danger, and a shooting is justified, the legally armed citizen is still generally tried in court. These are the people that the NRA has always stepped in to protect. Providing legal and even financial support for the people who legally and rightfully defended themselves and others. However, the NRA was silent over Castiles murder.

Now, I cant say whether this is because of racism or simply because these situations are always complicated and any judgment at all would be met with criticism, but I believe the NRA should have spoken on this issue. This situation is far less complicated than others before it. Castile was legally licensed to carry that gun, he had no warrants, no drugs in his car, he was not backed into any sort of corner and therefore had no reason to even reach for the gun he was legally carrying. Because of this, I do not believe that the officers account adds up. We have video of the encounter. If the officer shot Castile for reaching into his pocket, why did he not shoot the passenger when she reached for her phone? That day I expected Black Lives Matter and the NRA to both be protesting outside of the governors mansion.

Black lives really do matter and I think that the NRA should be at the forefront of this issue. I have always believed that these issues are rooted in culture rather than in the color of someones skin. The same ways we prevent injuries in the sport of hunting can be used to fight gun violence at a community level. We should start by teaching people about basic safety around firearms. The NRA and hunting advocacy groups also teach about one very important aspect of owning and using a gun. They teach that life is sacred and that guns arent just toys, they are tools as well. The NRA should also use their lobbying capabilities to push for better training in police departments. I understand that the police have a difficult job, but they should always respect a persons right to bear arms. This division between people of color and the law enforcement community can be healed if the culture of violence on both sides is changed. The NRA should lead this effort.

In the end, Castile was legally carrying a firearm and his second amendment rights were infringed upon during his encounter with the police. This should have been a rallying cry to the hundreds of thousands, if not millions of more African Americans, who should be in the NRA. If the NRA really cares about reaching out to an often disenfranchised community with a complicated past when it comes firearms and violence, they should run to the protection of any American who is legally carrying a firearm, regardless of their race.

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Philando Castile: What we haven't heard from the NRA - Clarion

University of Michigan students held vigils for victims of police brutality after Minnesota police officer, Jeronimo Yanez, was acquitted on Friday of all charges in the 2016 shooting of Philando Castile.

Yanez had been charged with second-degree manslaughter and endangering safety due to discharging a firearm in the shooting.While Yanez testified that he believed Castile was reaching for a gun when he fatally shot him, Castiles girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds in the passengers seat at the time of the shooting said he was merely reaching for his identification.

Postdoctoral fellow Austin McCoy, who attended a vigil for Castile in downtown Ann Arbor on Saturday, wrote in a Facebook post that he believes his passion for political activism is driven by the helplessness he feels due to the current state of systematic oppression within the country.

Im probably not alone when I say this, but I was reminded tonight at the vigil for Philando Castile that my politics and activism grows out of my struggle with intense feelings of helplessness that developed at an early age, or my fight against those feelings, he wrote. This struggle has driven my activism and it has shaped my rather radical politics.

McCoy related his emotions toward the Philando Castile case to what he felt when George Zimmerman, the man who shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, was acquitted in 2014.

There was something about learning about the not guilty verdict in the Philando Castile murder on Friday that brought some of the helplessness that I felt in 2014 back, he said. I dont know if its just our current political moment, watching the merry-go-round of injustice spin around, or my continuing education about the intransigence of our criminal justice system, but, as we were observing Philando Castile and Aura Rosser last night, I felt like we were back at square one.

According to the Facebook event, the vigil hoped to "(g)ather together with others tonight on Liberty Plaza commons to share your thoughts, sorrow, anger, and other emotions about Philando, and how to move toward a world in which police are obsolete, in which we love and protect each other, in which black lives matter. Bring candles, flowers, and signs, but mostly, simply gather and commune with others."Many victims, including Castile and Martin, have been Black or African American.

Many University students felt similarly upset. Public Policy junior Denis McGrath said his opinion on the acquittal is divided because he can understand where both parties were coming from leading up to the fatal shooting.

On the one hand, Castile was a model citizen, beloved by his family and the children he worked with, yet he was shot dead while following police orders, he said. To be quite frank, he in no way deserved to die. On the other hand, I have to sympathize in some part with Officer Yanez. Yanez had no way of knowing Castile was an incredible human being; he thought Castile resembled a wanted robbery suspect, he smelled marijuana and he knew that Castile had a weapon. Unfortunately, due to this cocktail of misperceptions, stereotypes and guns, a model citizen was left dead, and a city rioted.

McGrath further explained that he believes the United States has a problem with racism, as well as a problem with underfunded police forces, and nothing will change until citizens take action to fix these problems.

I believe that the United States most certainly has a race problem and a police problem and the two, when combined, are a recipe for disaster, he said. I think what bothers me most about these shootings/killings of Trayvon Martin, Sam DuBose, Alton Sterling, Freddie Gray, Eric Harris, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile the list goes on and on for far too long is that we as a society fail to take any action to remedy these issues.

University alum Joe Shea, former Cental Student Government Communications Director, wrote in a tweet that he hopes Castile is never forgotten.

Shea explained that last October, University graduate students held a vigil for victims of police violence and brought in pictures to commemorate men like Castile and Garner. The display remained inside the Ford School for the whole year.

Some grad students organized a vigil way back in October for Dia de los Muertos and people brought pictures of Philando Castile, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and I think one other person, he said. It ended up being this very nice display on the second floor, right outside the academic office on a table and had some candlelight and decorations and they left it up for, I think, the entire academic year.

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City, University students hold vigils for victim of police shooting following officer's acquittal - The Michigan Daily

President Donald Trump announced he was running for office on June 16, 2015. The following day, white supremacist Dylann Roof opened fire in a historically black church located in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine people in the hopes of launching an all-out race war.

Of course, those two events aren't directly linked. "But its certainly symbolic,"Heidi Beirich, director of Southern Poverty Law Centers Intelligence Project, tells Newsweek.

"There doesnt seem to be a single marginalized population that was left out of the emboldened reaction to this election,"she said. "There has been a massive explosion of violence across the country, and an increase in the number of hate crimes against virtually all minority groups. The numbers are definitely going up in 2017."

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Two years after Roof sat in on a bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, before taking out his gun and shooting the local parishioners, reports of hate crimes against black, Muslim, LGBTI, Sikh, Jewish and Hispanic communities have only continued to surge. Meanwhile, groups like SPLC and the Human Rights Campaign say battling the rise in hate-based violence will largely take place online in the coming years, where racists and those prone to committing attacks against minorities feed off of radicalized content and fake news.

A church youth group from Dothan, Alabama praying in front of the Emanuel AME Church on the one-month anniversary of the mass shooting on July 17, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina. John Moore, Getty

When looking at the data, it becomes immediately clear that spikes in hate crimes and racial tension havent only impacted black communities, like the Episcopal Church. There were at least 1,314 reported cases of anti-Muslim bias in 2014, according to the FBIs annual Uniform Crime Report. By 2016, that annual figure soared to 2,213.

Anti-Semitic incidents also rose in 2015, the latest year the Anti-Defamation League has data on, rising three percent to 941 total incidents nationwide.

Of all the hate crimes carried out that year, over 48 percent were committed by whites.

"We know that the normalization of violence, particularly against marginalized people, creates a culture of complicity and acceptance of hate based violence,"Sarah McBride, national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, tells Newsweek. "We also see that the political climate fosters violence. As anti-transgender measures are introduced across the country and the rhetoric is turned up, we are hearing from the community an increased vulnerability of harassment in their daily lives."

In total, hate crimes rose from 5,479 reported incidents in 2014 to 5,800 the next year, when Roof made his decision to act on a months-long quest he had documented at length across the web and on his racist website, TheLastRhodesian.com.

Roof, who wassentencedto death on Jan. 10, 2017,was reportedly an avid reader of Daily Stormer, a hate-mongering website loaded with racial conspiracy theories, fake news and anti-Semitism. The sites readership also included James Jackson, who penned a suicide manifesto before driving from Baltimore to New York to kill a random black man with a sword, as well as Thomas Mair, an extremist loner who murdered BritishParliament member Jo Cox.

The 23-year-old also searched on Google for information about the case of Trayvon Martin, in which George Zimmerman shot and killed the 17-year-old black teenager, and more broadly about information on crime statistics.

"I kept hearing and seeing his name, and eventually I decided to look him up it was obvious Zimmerman was in the right," Roofwrote on his site."But more importantly this prompted me to type in the words 'black on White crime' into Google, and I have never been the same since that day."

His search led him first to the Council of Conservative Citizens, a right-wing group documenting black on white crime and publishing gruesome content online. Roof says the information he absorbed online led him to believe there was a much deeper issue of violence targeting whites than the widely-reported Martin case, even though all of the data across the country supports the opposite notion: the United States is dealing with a racially-based crime issue of whites attacking blacks and other minorities.

To this day, fake news sites like Daily Wire appear on a Google search of "black on white crime"before the FBIs fact-based statistics.

A Google search for "black on white crime" shows misleading sites like Daily Wire ahead of fact-based data published by the FBI on June 16, 2017. Chris Riotta, Newsweek

"Theres been a general loss of civility in online discussions on race, gender and religion,"Beirich said. "Maybe if Google displayed factual results for Dylann Roof instead of misinformation at the top of their news pages, we wouldnt be here, facing the anniversary of his massacre."

Though there arent statistics to indicate broad trends in hate crimes throughout 2017 yet, violence against marginalized communities is seemingly continuingto soar, specifically against trans women of color, the LGBTI community and Muslims. The SPLC reported 1,372 reported bias incidents between the November election and early February, just after Trump was sworn in.

"We have to as a society understand the urgent crisis and epidemic of violence that we find ourselves facing, and we must not tolerate the kind of hate, discrimination and violence that is all too common,"McBride says. "Hate breeds discrimination, discrimination often times breeds violence. These are all connected to one another. We cant tolerate hate, we cant allow hate to foster in our laws and in our hearts. Thats why its on all of us to take action to stand up to speak out."

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After Dylann Roof Shooting, Hate Crime Rates Are Soaring Because of Fake News - Newsweek