World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, Hawthorne
Streets are For Everyone, Street Racing Kills, and Faith for Safer Streets placed two ghost tires on Saturday, November 18th, on El Segundo Blvd. One was to honor the life of 13-year-old Michael Leon, who was killed on January 8th, 2023, by a speeding driver, and one was for all traffic victims killed in Los Angeles County for World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
Friends and family gathered to celebrate the life of 13-year-old Michael Leon. The event also honored the 843 people killed in traffic collisions in Los Angeles County in 2022. Family members, faith leaders, and community advocates joined SAFE to demand that the city of Hawthorne and Caltrans prioritize slowing down streets and making much-needed infrastructure improvements in that area. Volunteers helped make the event a lovely gathering. Music was played, attendees held signs, and Michael’s principal and family gave speeches. Refreshments followed at St. George’s Episcopal Church, which kindly opened their doors to Michael’s family and community. Thank you to all who showed up and helped out! The message of the need for safer roads was definitely heard, with five media outlets covering the event.
