The Youth Peace and Justice Foundation (formerly The Uvalde Foundation For Kids) announced a permanent, living tribute to honor the life of Emily Finn, the 18-year-old college freshman and passionate dancer from West Sayville, who was killed in an act of youth gun violence. The announcement was made on November 29.
The group confirmed that Finn will be honored through its national Trees for Peace Youth Gun Violence Memorial initiative, which they say will ensure her memory becomes a lasting symbol of the profound loss caused by senseless violence. The tree will be planted in the Finger Lakes National Forest in New York State.
According to the organization, this living memorial serves as an eternal tribute to a promising young woman whose future was stolen, and a solemn commitment to raising awareness about youth gun violence, particularly in the context of dating violence.
“Emily Finn was more than a tragic statistic; she was a promise of brilliance, a passionate dancer whose grace on the stage represented the beautiful potential of youth, a potential cut short by a bullet,” said Daniel Chapin, Founder of the Youth Peace and Justice Foundation. “Her senseless murder is a stark, agonizing reminder of the lethal intersection between youth dating violence and the easy accessibility of firearms. The Trees for Peace program is our solemn vow that Emily’s memory will not fade, but will grow into a powerful, living symbol in the Finger Lakes National Forest, urging every community, educator, and policymaker to advocate and act decisively to disarm the violence threatening our young people’s futures. We must plant seeds of peace where violence has taken root.”