Who Are The 'Mothers Of The Movement'? Families Of Police Shooting Victims To Speak At Day 2 Of DNC

UPDATED: 8:34 p.m. EDT — A group of mothers who have lost their sons and daughters to fateful encounters with law enforcement issued a joint plea at the Democratic National Convention for voters to put their faith and trust in Hillary Clinton to help bridge the divide between police and the minority communities they serve. They took the stage while the audience resoundingly chanted, "Black lives matter."

"What a blessing to be standing here tonight so that Sandy can still speak through her momma," she said while getting visibly emotional. "What a blessing it is for all of us that we have the opportunity ... to cast our votes for a president who will help lead us down the path toward restoration and change."

Jordan Davis’ mother spoke about how her son's life was cut short for playing loud music. "Hillary Clinton isn’t afraid to say black lives matter," said Lucia McBath. "The majority of police officers are good people doing a good job."

"I am an unwilling participant in this movement," said Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin’s mother. "Hillary Clinton has the compassion and understanding to support grieving mothers" and will lead the fight for common sense gun legislation. "This isn’t about being politically correct, this is about saving our children," she said before adding: "We are imploring you — all of you — to vote this Election Day."

Original story:

At the Republican National Convention last week, multiple speakers admonished the Black Lives Matter as a hate group. At the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, the mothers of the men and women who inspired the movement will take the stage.

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has invited the Mothers of the Movement, a group of seven mothers with children who have died as a result of police violence, to speak on her behalf at the DNC Tuesday. Though the group has been advocating for police reform and helping campaign for Clinton for awhile, many convention viewers might not be as familiar with the women as they are with the Black Lives Matter movement at large.

The Mothers of the Movement are named in reference to the Black Lives Matter movement that has emerged to raise awareness about the deaths of their children and other minorities at the hands of police. The group consists of the following:

• Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, who died in a choke hold administered by an officer in New York City while being arrested for selling loose cigarettes.
• Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, a teenager killed by Florida neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman.
• Maria Hamilton, the mother of Dontré Hamilton, who was killed by a Milwaukee police officer.
• Lucia McBath, the mother of Jordan Davis, who was shot by a man in Florida after a complaint that he was playing music too loud.
• Lezley McSpadden, the mother of Michael Brown, who was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo.
• Cleopatra Pendleton-Cowley, the mother of Hadiya Pendleton, a Chicago teenager who was shot by police in a park.
• Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of Sandra Bland, who died in Texas after she was jailed for a traffic violation.

The group came out in support of Clinton earlier this year in a video produced by the Clinton campaign.

"Each of us have lived through our own tragedies which are all different. As a mother who lost her child, I was going to stand up and challenge the system and continue to tell my story," McBath said in the video. "Finally someone here is really here to listen and really stimulate change. [Hillary Clinton] has a heart to serve."

There is no exact time yet for the Mothers of the Movement's speech, but viewers can expect them to take the stage sometime in the early evening. The gavel will fall Tuesday at 4 p.m. EST. Former President Bill Clinton is expected to close the night's program.