“After Trayvon: A Loyola Community Conversation,” was hosted on Wednesday, Sept. 4, in Nunemaker Auditorium. The crowd was composed of students, faculty and various Loyola community members. Laura Murphy, director of the African American studies, commenced the event by stating the date that Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman on Feb. 26. Zimmerman was not charged with murder until two months later, and was then found not guilty by a jury of six women, five of which were white, Murphy said.

The panel was convened to talk about the killing of Trayvon Martin and to commence a series of breakout conversations within the community.

“It’s just a conversation, but it’s a start,” Kathleen Fitzgerald, associate professor of sociology, said.

Lisa Martin, instructor of mass communication, proctored the panel discussion. Martin asked the crowd what their reaction and why have you chosen to be here today.

“I was stunned and my heart was broken,” Bill Quigley, law professor, said.

“I wasn’t angry, I wasn’t hurt, I just expected it,” Andrew Albert, philosophy senior, said.

Bill Quigley, told an anecdote of how in the past year, he has been to criminal court about 30 times, and out of those 30 times, whenever prisoners are brought into the courtroom for bail, sentencing, etc., he has seen one white prisoner.

“We are at ground zero of mass incarceration in New Orleans with a 50 percent incarceration rate,” Quigley said.

“This is such a more complex issue. It is all of our struggle,” according to Ashley Howard, assistant professor of history.

Taylor Denson can be reached at [email protected]