On Wednesday, October 28th, the National Pan Hellenic Council sponsored event “(In)Justice for All” struck an emotional cord for the nearly 1,500 people in attendance at Goldstein Auditorium. The stories of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown were told firsthand by their mothers, Sabryna Fulton and Lesley McSpadden.

President of the National Bar Association Benjamin Crump, CNN anchors/analysts Fredricka Whitfield and Sunny Hostin, along with chief of the Department of Public Safety Robert Maldonado rounded out the esteemed group of panelists. Syracuse University senior Nina Rodgers sat down as moderator of the panel. Questions from the audience were submitted using the Twitter hashtag #IFACuseNPHC.

Reflections from Fulton and McSpadden on the personal qualities and interests of their slain sons Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown drew laughter and applause from the audience, as the mothers expressed the lesser-known tendencies of their sons. Fulton described how at the time of Trayvon’s murder at the age of 17, he was beginning to date, and take interest in things like cologne and fashion. McSpadden remembered her son Michael as one with emerging leadership qualities, as the oldest of her children, and took on a new interest in computers before the time of his shooting in Ferguson, MO by officer Darren Wilson.

Crump, Hostin and Whitfield provided insight to students on how they can use their respective fields of study and career paths as platforms to stand up for injustices in their community. Crump commended Whitfield and Hostin especially for using their influence as journalists to provide coverage on the stories of Martin and Brown and bringing them to national attention.

The evening concluded with a talk-back session in the upper-area of Schine Student Center, where students could express their feedback about the event and related personal experiences. Dialogue was moderated by seven facilitators from the Office of Multicultural Affairs, CARE Dialogue and Intergroup Dialogue.

NPHC will hold a town hall on Monday, November 2nd at 7:00pm in Grant Auditorium with Chief Maldonado and Chief of Syracuse Police Department Frank Fowler, for the discussion on improving the interactions between law enforcement and communities to continue.