Dwyane Wade dedicates art exhibit to "Parkland 17" shooting victims
MIAMI -- In honor of those lives lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Dwayne Wade has dedicated a special exhibit called "Parkland 17" during Art Walk, CBS Miami reports. Students and parents from Parkland attended the exhibit over the weekend.
Manuel Oliver, the father of 17-year-old Joaquin Oliver, stopped by the event. His son was one of the 17 people killed in the shooting on Feb. 14.
For the event, Manuel Oliver created artwork, which showed the face of his son at the center of a clear message of anger.
"The fact that Parkland was the safest city in Florida, it shows that it truly can happen anywhere," Jaclyn Corin, a student at the high school, told CBS Miami. "No one expected it and there are so many cities like Parkland, all around the country, and we want to emphasize that it can happen anywhere. It can happen in your town."
Statistics about gun violence could be seen on the walls. Calyann Barnett, the exhibit's creative director, explained that Wade wanted to make sure the exhibit wasn't just about remembering.
"Dwayne wanted to find a way to honor the victims but he also wanted to make sure that there was something behind this that you can honor, that you can remember what's coming next and what can we do to make sure this never happens again," Barnett.
Wade visited the exhibit late Saturday night following the Miami Heat's 129-102 win over the Washington Wizards.
"I really like how they did commemorate the victims, first and foremost," said Corin. "The primary part of the empty desks really demonstrate how many people really were lost because all those desks are empty now. One of them is in my bio class."
Adding a call to action element to the exhibit, there is a "Ring Your Rep" phone booth where people can voice their concerns and thoughts on gun control.
"There is a telephone booth to call your congressman," said Corin. "I think that's so cool because it's so important to know that there are people who can change this and you can have the option to talk to them and the fact that they're giving the option here so quickly and easily is wonderful."
Parkland 17 was open again Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
