NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Jason Rivera, the NYPD officer fatally shot last month in Harlem, was an Inwood native with deep ties to the neighborhood. When the officer tragically died, community members felt compelled to make sure he wouldn’t be forgotten. So they set out to paint a mural of him.
Renzo Martinez is the principal of Washington Heights Academy, a public school that sits next to the building Rivera grew up in. He was approached by artists last week, at the request of Rivera’s family, asking if they could dedicate a wall of the building to Rivera’s memory.
Principal Martinez was honored.
“Jason is a symbol who represents the unlimited potential of our students and all children in the community,” Martinez told 1010 WINS reporter Samantha Liebman. “He was, is, and forever will be a role model for all.”
Once approved by the Department of Education, artists Andre Trenier and Angel Rodriguez got the painting done in a matter of hours, depicting Rivera’s smiling face, in his full NYPD uniform, greeting passersby.
“It’s a beautiful thing,” one neighbor walking by said of the mural.
Martinez said the school has spoken to their students, in age appropriate ways, about Rivera and his legacy and he hopes the children will take some lessons from the late police officer’s determination.
“He’s a symbol, he’s a role model. He represents all of our students not only in Washington Heights Academy, but in Washington Heights,” Martinez said.
While there aren’t plans to rename the school in honor of Rivera as of now, Martinez said he’d support the name change if it was being considered.
“It would be great if they could always associate the school with the name of someone so important,” Martinez said.
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