To honor the 17 victims of the deadly Parkland school shooting – and to spark change following the tragic incident – Dwyane Wade will be backing a free art gallery in Wynwood’s Art Walk, the Miami Heat basketball player said on Twitter.
The event, called “Parkland 17” is both a commemorative exhibition and a call to action, Wade said. It will be open for 17 hours: 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
“In honor of the lives lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, I’m dedicating a special exhibit called “Parkland 17” at Art Walk in Miami,” Wade said on Twitter. “Come out this weekend to honor the lives that were lost.”
The exhibit was created by artist Evan Pestaina. There will be a call to action center there, which aims to encourage people to contact their representatives about gun control policies. Visitors can also make their voices heard through the "Ring Your Rep" booth at the event, which will take place on 2775 NW 3rd Ave.
Wade said he has been involved in "important and impactful" conversations with the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School since the shooting happened on Feb. 14. One of the victims of the tragic event - Joaquin Oliver - was a big Wade fan and was buried in the Heat player's jersey. After the game, Wade acknowledged Joaquin's family, saying:
"That they thought of me in that process, as something that he would have wanted, is mindboggling."
Local
On March 7, Wade visited the Parkland school on the students' first day back. Wade spent more than two hours at the school, giving an impromptu pep talk in the cafeteria and meeting with small groups of students who were directly impacted by the shooting and others who have been active in the #NeverAgain movement.
"I’m looking forward to being more involved in the change that they WILL create. #MSDStrong," Wade tweeted.
