“This community needs ways to honor those who we love and the lives we have lost.”
Instead of renaming a street to mourn the murder of one person, City Commissioner Kelsey Perdue thinks Grand Rapids needs a place to remember everyone killed by gunfire in the city.
“Something even bigger and meaningful to bring everyone together.”
The commission is not moving forward with his family’s request to rename Umatilla Street “Amillier Penn Way” to remember 15-year-old Amillier Penn, who was shot and killed there last summer. He did not live on the street and some residents did not support the change. But Commissioner Melinda Ysasi thinks there must be another way to commemorate his short life.
“A way that we could highlight the public health issue of gun violence.”
Mayor David LaGrand says he would consider a memorial to Penn and other victims of gun violence somewhere in the city.
“A public memorial for people who die of gun violence because if we don’t look the issue in the face and are not honest about it I don’t think we can hope to improve.”
In the meantime, Commissioner Perdue suggests the mayor declare June “Gun Violence Awareness Month” while plans for a memorial are considered.
“I am hopeful we can work together for something to honor the lives that we have lost.”
