Trayvon Martin’s Mother Brings Activism to the Ballot Box in Run for County Commission Seat

The mother of the teenager who died after a neighborhood security volunteer shot him in 2012, is running for a seat on Miami-Dade County Commission.

Sybrina Fulton, who has been a gun control advocate since her son’s death and who campaigned for Hillary Clinton, announced her candidacy on Saturday, according to the Miami Herald.

“Since 2012, I have advocated tirelessly to empower our communities and make them safer,” Fulton said in a statement. “But the work is not done. I am proud to announce that I will run to represent District 1 on the county commission.”

“Our county must continue moving forward so our families are safe from violence, can afford to live in Miami-Dade, and have access to good paying jobs,” Fulton said. “I am ready to take on these issues and many others in county government.”

George Zimmerman was found not guilty in July of 2013 of Martin’s death. The teen was visiting his father in Sanford, Florida at the time of the shooting after he received a ten-day suspension from his high school for drug residue found in his backpack.

“[Fulton] has appeared on network TV, co-written a book and helped form a non-profit organization — the Trayvon Martin Foundation — named in her son’s memory and based in his hometown of Miami Gardens,” the Herald reported.

Fulton has also written a book, “Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin.”

Follow Penny Starr on Twitter