On July 7, community members and leaders came together to celebrate the life of Brandon Hendricks and, thanks to the Bronx Rising Initiative (BRI), awarded 10 young women headed to college with the Brandon Hendricks Scholarship, a $5,000 scholarship for their studies.
The announcement of the winners came after a street co-naming in honor of Hendricks, a rising star that was killed by senseless gun violence on June 29, 2020. Hendricks was a consistent source of hope and inspiration for everyone that knew him and, before his passing, had recently been accepted to college with a full scholarship. The two-pronged event took place on Hendrick’s birthday.
BRI’s Brandon Hendricks Scholarship was launched last year in partnership with his family and exists to honor his memory and uplift his peers. This year’s winners are:
- Ethnee Guzman, a recent graduate of American Dream Charter School, is headed to University at Albany in the fall, hoping to study business administration. Ethnee hopes to attend graduate school and own a business or a few businesses.
- Rachel Turbridy, graduating from Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, will attend New York University in the fall to major in Music Performance (French Horn), her passion. Rachel hopes to be a professional performer and teacher.
- Khaliya Reyes, a graduate of Saint Raymond Academy for Girls, is headed to Le Moyne College and is planning on studying biology.
A mural remains on display in celebration and remembrance of Brandon Hendricks
- Abigail Smith, who graduated from Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music and plays piano and violin, hopes to study biology at Stony Brook University and one day become a pediatrician.
- Esmeralda Valles graduated from Mott Hall V School and will be studying Forensic sciences at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
- Khalijah Robinson is a graduate of Thurgood Marshall Academy. Khalijah will be attending Morgan State University to study nursing with the long-term goals to create two non-profit organizations, become a successful registered nurse, and own a clinic.
- Gabriela Encalada recently graduated from University Prep Charter High School. Gabriela is headed to Hunter College to study Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Social Work, hoping to support immigrant families and children to assimilate.
- Lucki Islam, a graduate of Dreamyard Preparatory, is headed to New York University in the fall to study filmmaking. Lucki hopes to tell the true story of the Bronx through filmmaking and one day create a nonprofit to support Bronx youth through the arts.
- Rosselys Bare, who graduated from Bronx High School of Business, is planning on attending SUNY Sullivan to study sports management in the hopes of forwarding gender equity in the sports world.
- Princess Della Tsivor graduated from Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health and Science Charter School. Princess will be attending Brown University in the fall to major in Biology with a minor in Computer Science with the goal of closing the healthcare disparity gap.
