Concourse Village Elementary School held a memorial ceremony for former student Angellyh Yambo on March 30 during which the school’s art room, a place she loved to hang out, was dedicated to her. The former student, who spent much of her youth in Kingsbridge Heights, was tragically killed in broad daylight as she walked home from school with friends in Mott Haven on April 8, 2022. She was hit by a stray bullet shot by a then 17-year-old male youth.

 

The private ceremony, which her family and friends attended, was held to honor and memorialize Angellyh who, according to those present, had developed a close bond with the school community, one which continued even well after she graduated. The ceremony was emotional for all involved as Angellyh’s family and former teachers shared their favorite memories of her.

 

The school’s principal, Dr. Alexa Sorden said, “Being able to create something that honors her that is so beautiful and highlights her [artistic] talent was very important to us as a community because she will forever continue to live in our hearts and our lives.”

A slideshow of photos and videos of Angellyh during her time as a student at the school, all the way up to her graduation, was shown during the moving event. Meanwhile, the art room was decorated in pink, Angellyh’s favorite color, and was filled with more photographs of her. Sorden continued “So today’s purpose is in honoring her, honoring her family, her friends, and all of us that love her and making sure that she continues to live on.”

 

Yanely Henriquez, Angellyh’s mom, gifted the school a personalized glass engraving from both her and The Angellyh Yambo Foundation, which read “Thank you Concourse Village, Thank you for your love, Thank you for being there, You guys rock.” Addressing those gathered, Henriquez tried to hold back her tears as she said, “Thank you is a very small word so what I really want to express is everything that you all have done for being there. This room that you’re doing for my girl, this is beyond expected.”

 

The Angellyh Yambo Foundation launched earlier this year on Jan. 24, on what would have been Angellyh’s 17th birthday. Her family and friends gathered at her mausoleum in Woodlawn cemetery to mark the official launch of the foundation. Founded by her aunt, Mary Hernandez, who is also the CEO, other family members are also involved. The foundation was created with the goal of helping raise awareness about gun violence, among other aims. The family is working with the staff of Angellyh’s former high school, University Prep Charter High School, where they plan to host an anti-bullying program as well as parent and children’s workshops.

 

Angellyh’s art teacher, Courtney Watson, said she spent a lot of time with Angellyh when she was a student at the school and afterwards. When Angellyh began returning for visits, even after she began high school, Watson said she would bring in her artwork to show to her former teacher. She also explained that Angellyh would also use the art room to work on any of her upcoming artworks.

Watson said one of the last projects Angellyh worked on was part of an “Alice in Wonderland” series which depicted the Mad Hatter’s tea party in black and white. “She was just an incredible artist,” Watson said. “She had a different eye. She just saw things differently. Her approach to her artistic process was something not many at her age would have.”

 

Sorden said during her visits back to her elementary school, Angellyh would often sit down with her and talk to her about everything ranging from her Sweet 16 celebration to college. Sorden said her last memory of Angellyh is of her walking to her office door to tell her that her Sweet 16 pictures weren’t out yet and how she planned to show them to her once they were ready. “That’s like the most vivid memory I have of, like, hearing her voice and seeing her,” said Sorden.

 

Angellyh’s passion for the arts was well known it seems as was her unique artistic approach, and she would tell people she was her own favorite artist. Christina Rivera, guidance counselor at the school, said, “I’m just happy that, as a community, we were able to give her a place where she felt safe to come back and just be.”

 

The school’s art room is now officially named “The Angellyh Yambo Art & Design Room” and the school also has a “Glam Squad” in Angellyh’s honor, made up of current students who also have an interest in art. During the event, the squad recited a poem they had written, entitled, “What Art and Design Means to Me.”

 

Aside from her love of art, Angellyh also reportedly loved make-up and fashion. Referring to the art room’s activities, Sorden explained, “We wanted to make it so that it can be art, but it could also have the option of make-up, hair, and other things like that.”

As reported, students at University Prep Charter School held “A March for Angellyh” in her memory on June 8, last year during Gun Violence Awareness Month. It was one of many other rallies held across the borough and City opposing gun violence. The students chanted “Enough is Enough!” as they marched around the school block.

 

As reported, Jeremiah Ryan was charged last year with the murder and attempted murder of Angellyh. Two other students were also shot during the incident. During the shooting, Ryan allegedly used a “ghost gun,” a firearm made from components purchased online with no serial number and which aren’t traceable. He is due back in court in June.

 

Despite such violent tragedies like the one which resulted in Angellyh’s death, gun crime has been gradually dropping in New York City and in The Bronx, compared to what it had been in 2021. So far this year in The Bronx, according to NYPD data, there have been 101 shooting victims compared to 157 at the same time last year, and so far this year, there have been 81 shooting incidents in the borough, compared to 135 shooting incidents at the same time last year.

 

In February 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden visited New York to discuss with local elected officials how best to combat the proliferation of ghost guns across the country. As reported, in April 2022, a Norwood man was sentenced to two years for possession of ghost guns in his home. Mayor Eric Adams had called, earlier that year, for the cancellation of the country’s largest ghost gun supplier.

 

Later in 2022, landmark gun legislation was either introduced or passed at nearly every level of government in the wake of a series of  mass shootings, across the country, including in Buffalo, NY, but not without challenges to the laws by Republicans. On June 6, New York State passed a comprehensive 10-bill package closing critical gun law loopholes exposed in the Buffalo and Uvalde mass shootings. Legislation S.9458/A.10503 bars the purchase of semi-automatic rifles by anyone under 21 by requiring a license. Legislation S.9407-B/A.10497 prohibits the purchase of body armor with the exception of those in specified professions.

Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks Holds Briefing on Public Safety in New York City. Video courtesy of the City of New York via YouTube.

Legislation S.9113-A./A.10502 expands the list of people who can file Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) and requires law enforcement to file ERPOs under a specified set of circumstances. The package also strengthens crime reporting; closing “other gun” loopholes; requires the microstamping of new semi-automatic pistols; eliminates grandfathering of high-capacity feeding devices; and requires social media companies to improve the response to and reporting of hateful content.

 

Two days later, on June 8, federal legislators in the House of Representatives voted 223 to 204 in what has been called an unprecedented bipartisan bill, the “Protecting our Kids Act,” which, among other measures, if it passes in the U.S. Senate, will also raise the age to buy semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, and will restrict the sale of large-capacity ammunition magazines. It was received in the U.S. Senate on June 9, 2022.

 

Norwood News readers later weighed in on whether they believed the new laws would have any impact on gun violence in The Bronx.

On April 8, on the first anniversary of Angellyh’s death, the intersection of Bailey Place and Bailey Avenue in Kingsbridge Heights was officially renamed “Angellyh Marieh Yambo Way” during an unveiling ceremony attended by a large group of family, friends, and elected officials, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

 

Back at her elementary school, reflecting on Angellyh’s sudden and shocking death, Sorden said, “When this happened, it hit really hard. I didn’t want it to be in vain.” She added, “So I needed to do something to honor her existence. She is a Concourse Village student forever.”

 

For more information on the foundation or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.angellyhyambofoundation.org.

 

A person arrested and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.