The Yonkers community gathered to honor four young men killed in a car crash before Christmas.
In the past month, the community mourned Brandon Sierra, Randy Brisbane, Anthony Cruz, and T.J. Watkins at their funerals.
Community leader Dr. Alexandria Connally says the crash that killed them will forever mark a painful moment in Yonkers history.
"These high school graduates were doing absolutely nothing wrong, and they were just living, and we want to make that message very clear— that our Black and brown boys in Yonkers should be celebrated," says Dr. Connally.
The young men will be memorialized through a piece of art created by 19-year-old Moises Robalo.
"When something like this happens, it's felt throughout the community—everybody in my village is hurting," Robalo says. "Although you may lose somebody, they're only lost if you forget them and let their legacy leave the Earth."
Family, friends and strangers collectively celebrated the bond between these four teens and their impact on the city.
"We understand that this is a long road and there's nothing that we can do or say to make them feel better, but our hearts are with them," says Dr. Connally.
The finished painting will hang in the gym at the Yonkers Police Athletic League, where the boys once played basketball.