Angellyh Yambo Artwork & Design Room Unveiled as Former College Honors Gifted Teen

By ARIEL PACHECO

 

Concourse Village Elementary College held a memorial ceremony for former pupil Angellyh Yambo on March 30 throughout which the college’s artwork room, a spot she beloved to hang around, was devoted to her. The previous pupil, who spent a lot of her youth in Kingsbridge Heights, was tragically killed in broad daylight as she walked house from college with pals in Mott Haven on April 8, 2022. She was hit by a stray bullet shot by a then 17-year-old male youth.

 

The non-public ceremony, which her household and pals attended, was held to honor and memorialize Angellyh who, in keeping with these current, had developed an in depth bond with the college group, one which continued even properly after she graduated. The ceremony was emotional for all concerned as Angellyh’s household and former academics shared their favourite reminiscences of her.

 

The college’s principal, Dr. Alexa Sorden stated, “Having the ability to create one thing that honors her that’s so lovely and highlights her [artistic] expertise was crucial to us as a group as a result of she’s going to without end proceed to dwell in our hearts and our lives.”

A slideshow of images and movies of Angellyh throughout her time as a pupil on the college, all the way in which as much as her commencement, was proven in the course of the shifting occasion. In the meantime, the artwork room was adorned in pink, Angellyh’s favourite shade, and was stuffed with extra pictures of her. Sorden continued “So right now’s goal is in honoring her, honoring her household, her pals, and all of us that love her and ensuring that she continues to dwell on.”

 

Yanely Henriquez, Angellyh’s mother, gifted the college a customized glass engraving from each her and The Angellyh Yambo Basis, which learn “Thanks Concourse Village, Thanks to your love, Thanks for being there, You guys rock.” Addressing these gathered, Henriquez tried to carry again her tears as she stated, “Thanks is a really small phrase so what I actually need to categorical is all the things that you simply all have executed for being there. This room that you simply’re doing for my woman, that is past anticipated.”

 

The Angellyh Yambo Basis launched earlier this 12 months on Jan. 24, on what would have been Angellyh’s seventeenth birthday. Her household and pals gathered at her mausoleum in Woodlawn cemetery to mark the official launch of the inspiration. Based by her aunt, Mary Hernandez, who can be the CEO, different relations are additionally concerned. The inspiration was created with the purpose of serving to increase consciousness about gun violence, amongst different goals. The household is working with the workers of Angellyh’s former highschool, College Prep Constitution Excessive College, the place they plan to host an anti-bullying program in addition to guardian and youngsters’s workshops.

 

Angellyh’s artwork instructor, Courtney Watson, stated she spent numerous time with Angellyh when she was a pupil on the college and afterwards. When Angellyh started returning for visits, even after she started highschool, Watson stated she would herald her paintings to point out to her former instructor. She additionally defined that Angellyh would additionally use the artwork room to work on any of her upcoming artworks.

Watson stated one of many final initiatives Angellyh labored on was a part of an “Alice in Wonderland” sequence which depicted the Mad Hatter’s tea get together in black and white. “She was simply an unimaginable artist,” Watson stated. “She had a special eye. She simply noticed issues otherwise. Her strategy to her inventive course of was one thing not many at her age would have.”

 

Sorden stated throughout her visits again to her elementary college, Angellyh would usually sit down together with her and discuss to her about all the things starting from her Candy 16 celebration to varsity. Sorden stated her final reminiscence of Angellyh is of her strolling to her workplace door to inform her that her Candy 16 photos weren’t out but and the way she deliberate to point out them to her as soon as they had been prepared. “That’s like probably the most vivid reminiscence I’ve of, like, listening to her voice and seeing her,” stated Sorden.

 

Angellyh’s ardour for the humanities was well-known it appears as was her distinctive inventive strategy, and she or he would inform individuals she was her personal favourite artist. Christina Rivera, steering counselor on the college, stated, “I’m simply joyful that, as a group, we had been in a position to give her a spot the place she felt secure to come back again and simply be.”

 

The college’s artwork room is now formally named “The Angellyh Yambo Artwork & Design Room” and the college additionally has a “Glam Squad” in Angellyh’s honor, made up of present college students who even have an curiosity in artwork. Through the occasion, the squad recited a poem that they had written, entitled, “What Artwork and Design Means to Me.”

 

Except for her love of artwork, Angellyh additionally reportedly beloved make-up and vogue. Referring to the artwork room’s actions, Sorden defined, “We wished to make it in order that it may be artwork, however it might even have the choice of make-up, hair, and different issues like that.”

As reported, college students at College Prep Constitution College held “A March for Angellyh” in her reminiscence on June 8, final 12 months throughout Gun Violence Consciousness Month. It was one in all many different rallies held throughout the borough and Metropolis opposing gun violence. The scholars chanted “Sufficient is Sufficient!” as they marched across the college block.

 

As reported, Jeremiah Ryan was charged final 12 months with the homicide and tried homicide of Angellyh. Two different college students had been additionally shot in the course of the incident. Through the capturing, Ryan allegedly used a “ghost gun,” a firearm constructed from parts bought on-line with no serial quantity and which aren’t traceable. He’s due again in court docket in June.

 

Regardless of such violent tragedies just like the one which resulted in Angellyh’s dying, gun crime has been progressively dropping in New York Metropolis and in The Bronx, in comparison with what it had been in 2021. To this point this 12 months in The Bronx, in keeping with NYPD information, there have been 101 capturing victims in comparison with 157 on the identical time final 12 months, and to date this 12 months, there have been 81 capturing incidents within the borough, in comparison with 135 capturing incidents on the identical time final 12 months.

 

In February 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden visited New York to debate with native elected officers how greatest to fight the proliferation of ghost weapons throughout the nation. As reported, in April 2022, a Norwood man was sentenced to 2 years for possession of ghost weapons in his house. Mayor Eric Adams had referred to as, earlier that 12 months, for the cancellation of the nation’s largest ghost gun provider.

 

Later in 2022, landmark gun laws was both launched or handed at practically each degree of presidency within the wake of a sequence of  mass shootings, throughout the nation, together with in Buffalo, NY, however not with out challenges to the legal guidelines by Republicans. On June 6, New York State handed a complete 10-bill package deal closing important gun legislation loopholes uncovered within the Buffalo and Uvalde mass shootings. Laws S.9458/A.10503 bars the acquisition of semi-automatic rifles by anybody below 21 by requiring a license. Laws S.9407-B/A.10497 prohibits the acquisition of physique armor apart from these in specified professions.

Deputy Mayor for Public Security Philip Banks Holds Briefing on Public Security in New York Metropolis. Video courtesy of the Metropolis of New York through YouTube.

Laws S.9113-A./A.10502 expands the checklist of people that can file Excessive Threat Safety Orders (ERPOs) and requires legislation enforcement to file ERPOs below a specified set of circumstances. The package deal additionally strengthens crime reporting; closing “different gun” loopholes; requires the microstamping of latest semi-automatic pistols; eliminates grandfathering of high-capacity feeding units; and requires social media firms to enhance the response to and reporting of hateful content material.

 

Two days later, on June 8, federal legislators within the Home of Representatives voted 223 to 204 in what has been referred to as an unprecedented bipartisan invoice, the “Defending our Children Act,” which, amongst different measures, if it passes within the U.S. Senate, can even increase the age to purchase semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, and can limit the sale of large-capacity ammunition magazines. It was acquired within the U.S. Senate on June 9, 2022.

 

Norwood Information readers later weighed in on whether or not they believed the brand new legal guidelines would have any affect on gun violence in The Bronx.

On April 8, on the primary anniversary of Angellyh’s dying, the intersection of Bailey Place and Bailey Avenue in Kingsbridge Heights was formally renamed “Angellyh Marieh Yambo Approach” throughout an unveiling ceremony attended by a big group of household, pals, and elected officers, together with New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams.

 

Again at her elementary college, reflecting on Angellyh’s sudden and surprising dying, Sorden stated, “When this occurred, it hit actually arduous. I didn’t need it to be in useless.” She added, “So I wanted to do one thing to honor her existence. She is a Concourse Village pupil without end.”

 

For extra data on the inspiration or to make a tax-deductible donation, go to www.angellyhyambofoundation.org.

 

An individual arrested and charged with a criminal offense is deemed harmless except and till convicted in a court docket of legislation.

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.