Antwon Rose Jr. would have turned 24 Saturday.
He was fatally shot by police Officer Michael Rosfeld in East Pittsburgh on June 19, 2018, after being suspected of attempted murder by participating in a drive-by shooting.
It was announced during the trial in March of 2019 that Rose was unarmed when he was shot.
Rosfeld was found not guilty on charges of criminal homicide.
Community organizations came together at Woodland Hills Impact Center in Rankin Saturday to remember, reflect and celebrate Rose through art, fellowship and his favorite sport, basketball.
Event organizer, Rankin council President Glenn Ford, knew Rose and remembers playing basketball with him at the Rankin Christian Center.
“I was younger back then, so I was taking it all in,” he said while recalling when he first heard that Rose was shot. “I was at the protests, so I saw it firsthand.”
Aaron Gray of Edgewood attended the event representing state Rep. Abigail Salisbury, D-Swissvale.
“Today we celebrate Antwon’s legacy,” Gray said. “I appreciate the opportunity to be here, to be a guest at this wonderful event.”
Cathy Welsh, a volunteer with Helping Out Other People, otherwise known as H.O.O.P, said Antwon’s family is a part of their program.
H.O.O.P was founded by Welsh’s son, Jullian Turner, and her daughter in-law, Jessica Turner, in 2018. They serve 137 families in the Woodland Hills community, providing grief support and meeting the needs of those who have lost loved ones to gun violence.
H.O.O.P also celebrates victims’ birthdays, or “angelverseries,” as they call them.
“Once we lose somebody, we have a crisis response plan,” Welsh said.
H.O.O.P recently used this response plan when Ojanay Pride, 26, of Pittsburgh’s West Oakland neighborhood and Woodland Hills graduate was shot on Sunday.
Welsh shared that she lost her son, Jeremy Welsh, to gun violence in 2017. She grew up with Antwon’s mother, Michelle Kenney, in Duquesne.
“I’ve just coincidentally known Michelle forever,” she said. “My son and Antwon went to school together from kindergarten and up.”
Founder and CEO of 1Hood Media, Jasiri X, said his organization was one of many that helped to mobilize peaceful protests in the wake of Rose’s death.
“We’ve been supporting Ms. Michelle from the very beginning,” he said. “Any chance we get to amplify Antwon’s memory, his legacy, his mom and other moms who have been through similar situations that all appear here, I think its the least we can do.”
X described Rose as being someone who was involved in the community and loved basketball, giving his own basketballs away to people who were in need.
“For us, it’s really about honoring the legacy of Antwon Rose,” X, said. “Instead of doing something on the day of his death, we are honoring his life.”
Farooq Al-Said originally is from Toronto but moved to Pittsburgh 14 years ago. Al-Said had just started at 1Hood when Rose was shot.
“Our office was kind of like the HQ for the movement because we were the only organization with a brick and mortar,” he said. “Our presence became way more important at that point because we were able to have everybody mobilized and organized at our headquarters.”
Event attendee Mondale Redden of West Mifflin said he felt supported while at the event.
“I see a lot of people that look like me,” he said. “I feel safe.”
Redden has known Ford, since high school.
“To see someone like him at my age shows me that I can do something big,” he said.
Vendor Monica Daniels, owner of Studio Odyssey, said her older children went to school with Rose.
“It was just devastating during that time just knowing the loss of the family and the community as a whole,” she said.
Daniels is from the Homewood and Garfield area, but now lives in Rankin with her family.
She was joined at the event by her two daughters, Olivia, 12, and Ella, 9. Their goal is to connect literature and the visual arts, which Rose did through poetry.
The Daniels provided books for attendees to read and art projects for all ages. Olivia was there launching her bracelet-making business.
Daniels, a former art teacher in the Pittsburgh Public Schools and Environmental Charter Schools, has been doing public art since 2020 in Rankin. Her first project was beautifying an abandoned mud shelter on Hawkins and Fourth Avenue.
“In this area, I’ve been using public art as a vehicle and a tool to activate neglected spaces into the community,” she said. “I believe that the public art and activities help to create a narrative in this area, community and neighborhood, that represents the real spirit that is often unseen by people that pass by or don’t know the history.”
This year she is partnering with Rivers of Steel to further engage with the community through art.
Ford encourages the community to keep mobilizing and advocating.
“Let’s keep building together,” he said.