BUFFALO, N.Y. — John Frederick Daniels was filling large flower pots next to the Tops on Jefferson Avenue Monday getting ready to plant flowers ahead of the one-year anniversary of a racist gunman coming to Buffalo.
"Our city is kind of hurting right now," said Daniels.
His family lives in East Buffalo not far from the store where 10 people were taken from their families, three others were hurt and many others were shaken.
In the weeks and months that followed, Daniels helped create a mural to honor the Jefferson 10 and one year later is back; committed to keeping a place of healing and reflection, beautiful.
"You know this isn't a history book this is our life this is our community we have to do our part," Daniels said.
The mural is filled with white doves each dedicated to a victim of the tragedy including Geraldine Talley whose son Mark held a press conference Monday across from Tops to announce another tribute, a book.
"The pain and loss is something that's going to constantly stay with me and I'm sure the other families forever," said Mark Talley.
Titled "5/14 The Day the Devil Came to Buffalo" the book follows Talley's journey in the days, weeks, and months after losing his mother.
He described it as a compilation of notes and feelings that helped him focus his anger and create something to remember her by.
"I definitely know that she wouldn't want me to be consumed by sadness and anger so I will definitely try to find strength in her memory and use it to fight injustice and racism for the rest of my life in her name," Talley said.
A sign at the corner of Landon and Jefferson Avenue dedicated to the 5/14 victims was removed Monday to make way for a permanent memorial.
While no timeline was given, a spokesperson for Tops told 2 On Your Side they are "preparing the site for the future honor space" and hope to have a rendering for the community to review soon.
Daniels said while tributes mean something they will not bring about meaningful change. He and Talley agree that the focus should be on increasing socioeconomic equality and fighting racism, to which Talley has dedicated his non-profit 'Agents for Advocacy.'
"We must do better and we must strive to do better in a world in which people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect," Talley said.
That doesn't mean good deeds like planting flowers mean nothing when those actions show people care.
"Being here and being able to do something for these people no matter what to uplift us no matter what I'm here for it," said Daniels.
