In an interview with the New York Times' Charles M. Blow that led the columnist to characterize her as "a tower of grace and a well of good will, a woman who misses her son desperately and is trying to make the best of an awful situation, the kind who perseveres through faith and is in search of forgiveness and peace," Trayvon Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, spoke about preparing for Monday, when George Zimmerman will go on trial for killing her son.
The piece is a poignant reminder that Trayvon, commonly referred to as "an unarmed Florida teen," was also someone's son — and that someone has a lot at stake when it comes to what could be the most divisive American criminal case in decades.
On why she's collecting the things people give her in tribute to Trayvon:
"Because those are the things that help me remember him. Those are the things that help me, to show me that there are other people that are standing with us and supporting us. It just helps me out."
On her grieving process:
"When this first happened, I would say, was my deepest hour. And it was through my faith in God that I was able to keep moving forward because there is something within us as humans that says 'you will never be happy again, you will never smile again, your life will be filled with rainy days,' and through the grace of God I know that that is not true. I will smile again and there will be sunny days again."
On her new public profile:
"I wouldn't have applied for this position, but I gracefully accept. I am going to do the best job I can and try to help other families."
On whether there are any circumstances under which she could forgive Zimmerman:
"Yes … The spiritual side of me knows that eventually I will have to forgive him so that I don't block my blessings. I know that. Am I ready to do that now? I am not. That's something I pray for, I pray for my forgiveness. Because just like I want God to forgive me, I want to forgive others. But, I'm just not at that point right now where I can say that I want to forgive him."
Read more at the New York Times.