Street in Miami To Be Named After Trayvon Martin

The street in front of where Trayvon Martin used to go to high school before he was killed is set to be named after him. The 0.3 mile stretch will be known as Trayvon Martin Avenue sometime this coming week.

According to CNN, Miami-Dade County commissioners approved the resolution this week to name a portion of NE 16th Avenue after the late 17-year-old, who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman back in 2012. Zimmerman was notably acquitted of the murder, sparking national outrage. 

“Trayvon Martin was a typical teenager who enjoyed playing video games, listening to music, watching movies, and talking and texting on the phone,” the resolution read. It also described him as someone who “was also developing advanced mechanical skills and, among other things, was known to be able to build and fix dirt bikes… Martin intended to stay close to home and attend college at either the University of Miami or Florida A&M University.”

Martin’s killing was a pivotal event in sparking the Black Lives Matter movement, which grew from a hashtag to a fully functioning organization founded by three Black queer women. 

News of the street name change comes following a new, invigorated push for civil rights that has taken place in the country following the murders of Ahmad Aubery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black people who have died at the hands of law enforcement or otherwise.