Mothers of the Movement address Black Lives Matter at DNC: 'This is about saving our children'

Mothers of the Movement at the Democratic National Convention.

(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

published 27 July 2016

The Mothers of the Movement — seven women whose black sons and daughters were killed due to gun violence — spoke about their kids and their hope for other children Tuesday during the Democratic National Convention.

"I am here with Hillary Clinton tonight because she is a leader and a mother who will save our children's lives," Geneva Reed-Veal, whose daughter, Sandra Bland, died in a jail cell in Texas after a traffic stop, said. "She knows that when a young black life is cut short, it's not just a loss, it's a personal loss, it's a national loss, it's a loss that diminishes all of us." Lucy McBath, whose son, Jordan Davis, was shot and killed over loud music, recalled that she spoke with her son about violence against young black men. "This is a conversation that no parent should ever have with their child. Hillary Clinton isn't afraid to say that Black Lives Matter. She doesn't build walls around her heart."

Trayvon Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, said she never wanted to be in the spotlight, but will do everything possible to "focus some of this light" on stopping gun violence. "Hillary Clinton has the compassion and understanding to support grieving mothers," Fulton said. "She has the courage to lead the fight for common sense gun legislation." It's not about "being politically correct," she continued. "This is about saving our children." Fulton ended her speech by telling the crowd she'd like to leave them with "what God has given us: strength, love, and peace."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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