In one way or another, nearly every Chicagoan has been touched by gun violence. In the midst of tragedy and harsh critique from the outside, the friends and family members of gun violence victim Hadiya Pendleton honored her life Thursday (June 2) for what would have been her 19th birthday.
According to CBS Chicago, hundreds gathered in Hyde Park for the special ceremony. Pendleton, 15, was fatally shot a few blocks from her high school in January 2013. Anti-gun advocacy group Project Orange Tree held the special memorial “Party For Peace,” where they wore orange to stand against gun violence.
We kept up with this amazing outpour of support via Storify.
Check out some highlights below.