It鈥檚 been almost a decade since the police killing of Michael Brown.
On the spot where his body lay for 4陆 hours, loved ones placed candles, stuffed animals and flowers Thursday night to memorialize his death and honor his legacy, as well as call for an end to police brutality.
The event was held on the 10th anniversary of the day Michael Brown graduated from high school. Eight days later, he was shot and killed by a Ferguson police officer.
Michael Brown鈥檚 father, Michael Brown Sr., helped organize the event. He said every day is different for him when it comes to the grief he's faced since losing his son.
When asked what he hopes the continuing effect of his son鈥檚 legacy will be, Brown said, 鈥淭hat people will never forget and will understand that he has a father that鈥檚 standing strong, 10 toes down for what鈥檚 justice.鈥�
Brown started a nonprofit, Chosen for Change, in his son鈥檚 honor to provide support to families who have experienced a traumatic loss. He said he鈥檚 frustrated to see the problem of police brutality against Black people persisting.
鈥淭here鈥檚 still a whole lot of work to be done,鈥� Brown Sr. said. 鈥淚 would definitely say that he鈥檚 still working from the grave because I am him, he is me.鈥�
Michael Brown Jr. was killed on Aug. 9, 2014, when he was 18 years old. Brown, who was Black, was killed by a white officer. His death sparked protests that lasted for months.
Rashad Timmons attended the memorial Thursday and works closely with Brown's family in honoring his legacy and fighting racial injustice. He said police violence and racism affect everyone and don鈥檛 give people a fair opportunity at life.
鈥淭o keep coming out to doing the ritual of honoring him, memorializing him, commemorating him, really pushed against that impulse of erasure and is a testament to the fact that his life matters,鈥� Timmons said. 鈥淗e deserved full and abundant life.鈥�
Chris Phillips lived in the same neighborhood where Brown was killed. Phillips said the killing inspired him to start making a film about how communities are affected after police killings and the national influence of his death.
鈥淚 lived here, this street,鈥� Phillips said. 鈥淚 walked across this spot to get to my mailbox. It鈥檚 very close to home for me, and as a Black man to see another Black man who had his whole life ahead of him 鈥� I think about everything I鈥檝e done from 18 to now.鈥�
Melanie Randels, the executive director of Chosen for Change, said the memorial was important to those affected by Brown Jr.'s death.
鈥淚 think sometimes we become desensitized to these types of tragedies,鈥� Randels said. 鈥淓ven though we can look on the news and see them, and they are still happening, sometimes we can forget the pain, we can forget the memory.鈥�
She said there鈥檚 still much change needed when it comes to police brutality, mentioning names including Sonya Massey. She recalled a conversation she had with Brown鈥檚 stepmother.
鈥淲e just said and at the same time that we鈥檙e tired of saying their names,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e tired of the marches. We鈥檙e tired of it all.鈥�
Timmons, one of the people at the gathering, said Brown鈥檚 legacy has inspired many people, including him, to fight for justice.
鈥淚 hope his legacy continues and provides an invitation for us, all of us, to really fight for a world that he deserved, a world where he was not given premature death and abbreviated life, but one where he should have received a prosperous life, one where he was able to bloom in the fullness of who he was as an individual,鈥� Timmons said.
