Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was in Buffalo on Friday, as she was joined by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown to announce the establishment of the 5/14 Memorial Commission to honor the victims of the racially motivated mass shooting at the Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue more than five months ago.
"At a time when we should be looking forward to spending time with our families and friends this holiday season, we continue to process the actions of a hate-driven individual, who came to Buffalo with the stated intention of killing as many black people as possible. Our community was, and is deeply affected by this horrific and senseless act of violence," said Mayor Brown during his opening comments at the Apollo Theatre in East Buffalo. "Since the mass shooting, Gov. Hochul and I have been doing everything we can to ensure that this never happens again, while also working on ways to help our community heal."
The mission of the 5/14 Memorial Commission will be to develop and advise on the execution of a plan to erect a physical monument in East Buffalo to memorialize the lives of the 10 individuals lost in the mass shooting. The focus of the commission will include citing and acquiring land, engaging families and the surrounding communities for input, architect and design concepts, securing funds, and memorial maintenance and area beautification.
New York State and the City of Buffalo will also secure financial contributions from a number of different outlets to help with the construction of a memorial that is fitting for the families of the victims, and also the community.
"We'll bring the resources from the state and the city, but I'm so delighted to see the number of private sector individuals and companies who are standing up and saying, 'We want to be part of this, as well,'" said Gov. Hochul on Friday. "We'll take that assistance to make sure that we get something that is profoundly reflective, and calls everyone to recommit to a different future than what befell the loved family ones."
The commission in place will consist of members that have been appointed by Gov. Hochul and Mayor Brown, which will be led by chair Rev. Mark Blue.
"We are committed to erect a permanent memorial that will honor the lives and the memories of the innocent victims of this horrific attack," said Rev. Blue on Friday. "I'm looking forward to working with all the community stakeholders to ensure that this memorial is inclusive, and is a lasting tribute that helps our community heal."
Also serving on the commission going forward include:
- Diane Colgan - Senior Vice President of Tops Friendly Markets
- Jonathan Dandes - Buffalo Niagara Partnership
- Dr. Norman Lewin - Buffalo Arts Commission
- Larry Stitts - President of the Golden Cup Coffee Company
- Garnell Whitfield Jr. - Son of Ruth Whitfield, one of the 10 victims of the shooting
"It's no coincidence that this community looks like this. It's not by accident, it's very intentional. And we've got to have the same intentionality to change it," said an emotional Whitfield, as he spoke to the congregation of people. "We look forward to development of a transformational project that will honorably and forever remember the lives of our loved ones, and usher in a new era of hope and prosperity for the people that are the East Side of Buffalo. We talk about the buildings, we see the buildings and everything else, we've got to see the people. The people are equally damaged. The people have not been supported, have not been cared for, have not been loved, and we've got to do better."
Gov. Hochul acknowledges the memorial project is going to be quite an undertaking, and there is not going to be a deadline to erect a memorial. However, she did say it is something that should proceed quickly, and she's confident that the desire and the commitment is strong to make it happen in a timely manner.
"This is going to be an opportunity for the community to come together," Gov. Hochul said. "I'm constantly in awe of what this community is capable of. It truly is. And I know this community better than most from across the state. When you talk about East Buffalo, I know East Buffalo. I know every street, this Tops was literally 10-and-a-half minutes from my house. I drive through these streets, I go to churches here, I worship here many times. I'm inspired when I come to this community, the resiliency of the people. But this community has always deserved better, and now we are able to say that while the impetus may have been a horrific tragedy, we are not ever turning our backs on this community again. It will rise up, it'll be that shining glimmer of hope, where people say, 'What happened after that tragedy? I'll tell you what happened, East Buffalo rose up and claimed the stature that has been overdue for far too long.'
"I'm from Buffalo, and there's nobody tougher than us. I have that in my DNA just like all of you do. So to my friends from Western New York, there's no stopping us now. We are moving forward, and this memorial will be a manifestation of that commitment."
While the location of the memorial site is yet to be determined, Mayor Brown says the location will be close to the Tops on Jefferson Avenue. And while the commission does want to move quickly on erecting the memorial, they want to move collectively.
"This memorial is not just going to honor, but it's going to represent what we are made of, and how we are able to overcome the obstacles that have been put on us. We are a resilient people. We will let the world know that our resiliency will last, and this is just a sample," Rev. Blue said. "It seems like Buffalo is always the place where things start, where people have to remember. And I'll tell you what, we're going to keep that. We're going to honor our family's, honor our victims, honor our community as we go forward. 9/11 honored America, 5/14 is going to honor America."
