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Family, community celebrate Andre' Hill's birthday with park dedication

The Millennium Movement dedicated No More Names, Last Stand Community Park in honor of Hill, who would have turned 48 on Sunday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Millennium Movement, an organization for justice, put together an event for Andre’ Hill, the man who was fatally shot by a now-former Columbus police officer last December.

Hill’s family, friends and community members gathered on Brentnell Avenue to honor him and his birthday.

He would’ve turned 48 on Sunday, May 23.

Organizer LaToya Gibson said it was a day of celebration, with no protests, just another day of keeping his name alive.

“We’re here dedicating the No More Names, Last Stand Community Park and Prayer Creek, in honor of Mr. Andre Hill’. We’re just basically out here trying to celebrate his life with the family, good clean fun,” Gibson said.

After Hill’s family cut the ribbon in front of the park, the group moved to the Brentnell Community Center for games, music, food and dancing.

The center will be renamed Andre' Hill Gynamisum as part of a $10 million dollar settlement with the city. The gym will be renamed later this year.

Hill’s sister, Shawna Barnett, was there and was part of the ribbon-cutting. She said it’s nice to see the community’s efforts to honor and remember her brother.

Barnett said Hill was a people-person, a community man who, if he was at the event, would’ve been the life of the party, ready to eat and play basketball. 

She said he was a jokester and a talkative person.

 Hill’s family grew up in the area and Barnett said the Brentnell Avenue neighbors are more than just friends, they’re family and have been there with them through the past five months.

Her hope moving forward, and her hope for the takeaway from the dedication is that everyone unites.

"We need to unite, we need to stick together. Everybody needs to come together for the common cause and the good and progress is always a good thing. You know, we’re not perfect, but we’re moving towards perfection. We’ll never get there but if we always work together we can make some kind of difference,” Barnett said.

Hill’s sister said the park and prayer creek is a place for serenity and for anyone to go and have a place to rest their minds.

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