Yanely Henriquez, mother of gun violence victim Angellyh Yambo, spoke at the Jan. 19 summit next to a photo of her daughter. Also present were representatives of Guns Down Life Up, East Side Houses, the YMCA, and other organizations that support the positive development of young people.
Photo Emily Swanson
High school students and advocates gathered at the La Central YMCA on Friday for a Youth Gun Violence Summit that sent the message that supportive adults are looking out for Bronx kids and their safety.
The Jan. 19 event was organized by the Angellyh Yambo Foundation, established in honor of the 16-year-old who was shot and killed near University Prep Charter School in April 2022. Angellyh had been walking home from school and was caught in a crossfire of gunshots not intended for her.
Mary Hernandez, Angellyh’s aunt and CEO and founder of the foundation, said there is “a major disconnect” between young people and their communities. There are not enough programs and services to support young people — so the foundation wanted to bring groups together to show them what’s out there.
At Friday’s summit, University Prep students heard from several people whose lives were torn apart by gun violence — including Yanely Henriquez, Angellyh’s mother.
She said Angellyh was her “closest ally” and a teen who loved fashion and makeup and who, ironically, loved staying at home instead of being out in the streets, which she told her mom was dangerous.
“I really don’t want another parent to get that phone call,” Henriquez told her daughter’s peers.
Henriquez implored them to be more aware of their surroundings and cautious about who they hang out with.
“Everyone’s here to support you guys,” she said.
Angellyh should have turned 18 on Jan. 24 — and her shooter was also a teenager. Jeremiah Ryan, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced in September…
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