By Eliot Schiaparelli

Less than a year after the death of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, the street where he died was co-named to honor him. Guzman-Feliz was killed in June 2018 by the Trinitario gang in a case of mistaken identity. His death created a national outcry and the hashtag, #JusticeforJunior.

Since his death, countless memorials have been held and New York state dedicated $18 million toward fighting gang violence. The city officials present, including City Council Member Ritchie Torres and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz spoke about programs that have been put in place since Guzman-Feliz’s death and asked that the community never forget him.

“Today is about pivoting and transitioning,” said Diaz. “So that now we celebrate the life of Junior. So that we never ever forget what happens here and everybody realizes that we all have a collective responsibility to work together and make sure that this doesn’t happen again and the way that we do that is by ensuring that his legacy moves on.”

Both Torres and Diaz spoke highly of a summer camp that will be named Camp Junior in upstate New York. The camp, which is specifically for Bronx teens, will open this summer.

“Junior’s impact will last as his spirit lives on,” Torres said. “We should remember Junior not only for the tragic loss of his life in an unspeakable act of violence. We should remember him for the lives he has saved and the lives he will save because of the legacy he leaves behind.”

The co-naming event took place in front of the bodega where Guzman-Feliz looked for help just before was killed on the corner of 183rd Street and Belmont Avenue. The bodega is now the first safe haven bodega in New York City. On it was a mural that was the backdrop for the event, with the quote “Love is the answer.”

While Guzman-Feliz’s family, teacher and city officials spoke to the assembled community members his classmates and members of the NYPD explorers program stood behind them. Some of them held flowers and a few shed tears.

After each of the officials and Junior’s family spoke, the new sign was unveiled, co-naming Belmont Avenue “Lesandro ‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz Way,” and Guzman-Feliz’s parents were given copies of the sign. The street co-naming fell on Guzman Feliz’s mother’s birthday. The crowd sang happy birthday to Leandra Feliz shortly after the unveiling.

Feliz spoke to the crowd mostly in Spanish but said in English that she was thankful for their support.

“I want to say thank you God for all that is happening right now,” she said. “No one wants to see the tragedy of any kind. I have a lot to say and I don’t know which way to take it.”