WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — When drivers pull into Tina's Market along 25th Street in Northwood, they'll find a series of names on 11 of the parking blocks.
They are all victims of gun violence in Palm Beach County.
"It'll never be the same, but just having his name here, like, he'll always be remembered," said Trashina Council, who lost her older brother to gun violence.
An unveiling ceremony was held Sunday with family in attendance as, one by one, different names were unveiled.
"Families are hurting and they're hurting real bad," said Angela Williams, president and founder of the support group Mothers Against Murderers Association. "You don't get over it. You just learn how to deal with it and that's what's hard."
Families like Joyce Gibson's had four loved ones whose names were honored during the ceremony.
"I'm still thinking about them every day," said Gibson. "You know, it hurts. When you lose a loved one to gun violence, it's just, like, shocking."
The names of the victims line the store fronts in the shopping square, hoping to initiate the conversation on gun violence as people pass through.
"I want them to see that these are young people who have been killed in their own neighborhood," said the Rev. Thomas Masters. "(If) you see something, say something. Do something about it."
The memorial project is a partnership between Masters and MAMA.
"We do things like this that [memorialize] the loved ones they had lost, let them know that we haven't forgot about them, we are here for them and we are going to continue to do the work," said Williams.
Together, they said, they've unveiled more than 100 names in the last year with thousands more waiting to be memorialized.
"Please, please, please, put down the guns," said Williams. "Stop the violence. Let's start healing and save our children."
If you're a business or have a parking lot and would like to participate in the project, contact MAMA on the group's Facebook page.
