On April 25, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark welcomed dozens of survivors to her annual Tribute to Crime Victims, offering an uplifting show of solidarity to Bronxites who have endured trauma and loss.
Held at the Bronx Zoo, this year’s event centered on the theme “Kinship, Connecting and Healing,” and featured a powerful blend of food, music, dance, and poetry. The program also included heartfelt testimonials from three speakers who shared their journeys of resilience after unimaginable tragedy.
One of them, Yanely Henriquez, spoke about her daughter, 16-year-old Angellyh Yambo, who was shot and killed near her South Bronx school on April 8, 2022. She later told the Bronx Times that this year feels especially difficult with three years having passed. “It feels different,” she said. “I’ve had to face reality—like yes, she’s no longer here.”
Henriquez said she still battles anger and depression, but looks forward to later this spring, when Yambo’s school will issue the diploma she should have earned and honor her during their graduation ceremony.
During the Thursday’s program, Clark told the crowd that whether the traumatic incident happened yesterday or years ago, her staff are dedicated to supporting survivors for however long they choose.
“What you must know is that you are not alone,” she said. “My office is here with you every step of the way.”
Clark also said she sometimes connects families with others who have experienced similar trauma. For instance, she connected Henriquez with the mother of Caleb Rios, a 14-year-old who was fatally stabbed on his way to school on Jan. 10. As two grieving mothers, “They shared their pain, and now, their purpose,” said Clark.
Some attendees said they have remained in touch with Clark’s office over many years, such as Rachel Maldonado and her son, Richard, who told the Bronx Times that she experienced abuse by her husband for nearly 20 years. He’d served time in jail and is now outside of New York City and out of their lives, but Richard said he still attends the DA’s events with his mother to show support.
One survivor, identified as Ms. Kennedy, told a shocking story that received a standing ovation from the audience. Her son, speaking on her behalf, said that Kennedy was repeatedly raped at age 70 by a stranger in her apartment building. He detailed the shock, fear and nightmares that plagued her after the incident, which she didn’t report to authorities for a week after it happened.
In 2023, the perpetrator was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison, and Kennedy said to applause and cheers that she forgave him. With support from Clark’s team through her recovery, she also relied on faith, therapy and community to get to the point of mercy. “I forgive him because I am one of God’s children.”
Another survivor, identified as Mr. Pimentel, said via his daughter, translating from Spanish, that he was beaten and robbed on his way to work one day in 2018. After that, even though he was “constantly living in fear,” he had to find the strength to keep walking the same streets where he’d been assaulted so he could continue working. “My wife and two daughters depended on me,” he said.
Pimentel said that the perpetrators were arrested, and the DA’s office reached out with support and helpful explanations of the criminal legal process, which was unfamiliar to him. “Don’t be afraid to speak up, ask for help and accept help,” he told fellow survivors.
Clark said that while she wished such a large, yearly event was unnecessary, it was meant to ensure that those who have been through the worst know they have a community surrounding them. “Not only do you have my office, you have each other,” she said.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
