Kansas State University

MANHATTAN — The mother of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old whose fatal shooting by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida provoked a national race and justice debate, will speak at Kansas State University at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, in the ballroom at the K-State Student Union.

"We are all Trayvon" will be an educational and thought-provoking event, said Brandon Clark, coordinator of the event and program assistant for the university's diversity office.

Despite the intense tragedy of losing a child, Sybrina Fulton has turned her grief into advocacy, lecturing at college campuses across the nation. She co-founded the Trayvon Martin Foundation, a nonprofit organization to raise awareness of gun violence and help provide support and advocacy for families who have had relatives fall victim to it.

"The Trayvon Martin case was huge," Clark said. "Whenever it's brought up, it stirs certain emotions and gets people to talk and debate. This debate is about understanding why we believe what we believe. It is about being open-minded."

Fulton's visit comes almost two years after her son's tragic death and the subsequent acquittal of the shooter. The event is free and open to the public and sponsored by the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity chapter as part of the historically black fraternity's annual weeklong celebration. It is also sponsored by the Student Governing Association.