A musical evening will raise money for a headstone for an 18-year-old who was stabbed to death.
A musical evening will raise money for a headstone for an 18-year-old who was stabbed to death.
The Crib youthclub is holding the fundraising night in De Beauvoir so the family of Isaiah Ekpaloba can finally lay him to rest before the first anniversary of his murder, which is fast approaching.
The aspiring young actor from Hackney was tragically stabbed to death in Wood Green on January 9, and Jaydee Dorsett, 20, was sentenced to at least 12 years in prison for murder in July.
Pembe Tokluhan, 18, who was friends with Isaiah since she was 10, decided to organise the fundraising evening with the backing of the youth club based in Balmes Road, De Beauvoir.
Pembe, who helped organise the Enough is Enough march around Hackney in October, calling for an end to the senseless killing of youths, said: “I was in pieces when I heard he had been stabbed, I couldn’t believe it was him.
“I went to where he was stabbed and lay some flowers on the night, I helped the family with the funeral and now we are organising something to hopefully help him get a memorial stone, this is our way of making a memory for him.
“With no parent expecting to bury their child, often the full cost of funerary arrangements cannot be raised, exacerbating the grief of the family, who are unable to provide their loved one with dignity in death.”
Pembe, who is organising the evening with Charlotte Burgess, continued: “Isaiah was a bubbly, happy young man, he loved music, he was into rapping.
“He started working with knife awareness workshops and was teaching about the dangers of carrying knives – he was heading in the right direction to becoming a successful young man before he tragically lost his life.”
“The family have been unable to grieve properly and Isaiah’s mother Grace has stressed the huge impact of Isaiah’s murder on his two younger brothers, aged 14 and six, who have been ‘terribly affected’.”
The night will include performances from dancers, singers and spoken word artists, and Isaiah’s mother Grace will also deliver a speech.
It takes place at the Rose Lipman Building in De Beauvoir Road at 6.30pm on Saturday December 12, entrance costs £5.
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