BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — May 14, 2022, will be known as Buffalo's darkest day, when 10 beloved and selfless people were killed by a white supremacist at Tops on Jefferson Avenue.
In the three years since that tragedy, people in and around Buffalo's East Side have put their pain to purpose.
On Wednesday night, to mark three years since the tragedy, the Community Health Center of Buffalo, Inc. Resiliency Center hosted a semi-formal event at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. It was called "A Community's Path Forward After 5.14.22."
There was a classical musical tribute and a jazz reception. Polly Sheppard and Felicia Sanders were the two guest speakers. They survived the 2015 racist mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Similar to what happened in Buffalo, a white supremacist shot and killed nine Black people and injured one.
Sheppard knew all the victims who were with her at bible study on that day in 2015. Sanders lost her aunt and 26-year-old son, Tywanza Sanders.
Both women said they came to Buffalo to help others who know their pain. They went to Tops on Wednesday, where they said they noticed a lot of love and also grief.
"We've been where they're at right now," said Sanders. "It's 10 years for us in Charleston, South Carolina. It had not been easy, so we come to Buffalo, people still hurting, the needle hasn't moved much. We know we can come tell them what we've been through, and you can get further along if you just stick together, and help them heal. It's not easy, but we can lighten the load a little bit."
Sheppard said we need to come together and truly learn how to love more to stop hate.
The event was closed to the public to provide those who have been impacted with a space to heal, honor their loved ones, and commemorate 5/14.
