SAN MARCOS – San Marcos held a Black Lives Matter protest Wednesday morning that was organized by one Texas State University student. The protest was on the lawn outside the Hays County Courthouse and remained peaceful as several spoke on the courthouse steps to the crowd.

After Malina Sutton’s friends suggested she organize a Black Lives Matter protest for Hays County locals, she took it to heart and followed through.

“After the death of George Floyd, something really triggered me inside to use the voice that I have which has always been loud and always been bold and it does me an honor to be able to do this by myself,” Sutton said. "To be completely honest, I have yet to watch the complete video of George Floyd just because it's so graphic and it hurts as a black woman to see my brothers and sisters getting killed. My first thought was that something needed to change and I use my voice all the time, but we need to use our voices in a different way as a community and as a society."

Sutton said whether it’s one person behind her or a million, she will make sure her voice is heard.

Malina Sutton walking through the crowd. (Spectrum News/Stacy Rickard)

“It doesn't just start with protests and it doesn't just end with protests either. We have to continue to raise our voices and have these conversations with everybody in our community, no matter what state, what city, what town we are in. We need to call attention to what's actually happening,” Sutton said. "We see so many GoFundMe pages and Change.org— we need to sign these petitions to let these officials know that so many people are behind these changes and we will be heard no matter what.”

Despite her young age, Sutton has a fire in her to keep the momentum of BLM going.

RELATED | What the “Defund the Police” Movement is Actually Calling For

"I feel like it's what my passion is to do on Earth. I'm going into elementary education. I feel like I have a voice that can influence and really have my voice heard and people listen to me. So when it comes to something I'm so passionate about as a black woman, I have to use my platform and every quality that I have to spread it on to people who maybe don't have those qualities,” she said. “I'm here for you and I will speak for you. No matter if you don't have that quality, we all bleed the same. And if we have the same voice, you will stand by me and I will represent you in the best ways that I can which will always be to my fullest capacity."

Malina Sutton talking to other protesters. (Spectrum News/Stacy Rickard)

Sutton feels the black women and men of her generation have a lot of anger coming from all directions. She said these protests in smaller towns like San Marcos are what it will take to change these communities from the ground up.

“Over the past week we have seen a tremendous change in every city across the country that has been oppressing their black communities. I think that this is a movement that will continue to happen," Sutton said.

“I think it's going to take a lot of power and recognition from any community that has such a large student body to make a point that each community matters, and the communities that are being targeted and oppressed needs to be put first, and then we can come together to address what's happening as a whole. I think that people need to realize you need to come together as a society rather than to see color like we always have. You know that all lives matter, but until we start addressing things within our own communities, things don't get resolved at all," she said.

San Marcos protesters holding handmade signs. (Spectrum News/Stacy Rickard)

Donations raised at the San Marcos protest are being given to the family of Justin Howell, who was critically injured while at an Austin protest on May 31. The GoFundMe page in his name has raised almost $200,000 from donors nationwide.

At last update, Howell was "still taking it day by day.” His brother Josh said Howell "spends most of his time sedated. His doctors have confirmed that his brain injury was caused by the beanbag round and not the resulting fall.”