the pace chronicle - volume i, issue v - the danroy "dj" henry jr. special edition - 10.12.11

7/30/2019 The Pace Chronicle - Volume I, Issue V - The Danroy "DJ" Henry Jr. Special Edition - 10.12.11

1/12

Volume I, Issue V Pace unIVersIty, PleasantVIlle/BrIarclIff manor, NY www.PacechronIcle.net Wednesday, oct. 12, 2011

ThePaceChronicle

Oct. 29, 1989 - Oct. 17, 2010

Danroy DJ Henry, Jr.

Together We Stand,Together We Fall, All for One, One For All, By Myself, I Can Do Nothing, With Some Help, I Can Do Anything.


2/12

sungI clark

Business Manager

shIga sunny

CirCulation

Jeremy kelley

aluMni advisor

Prof. mIchael Perrota

FaCulty advisor

[email protected]

page 2 The Pace Chronicle Wednesday, oCt. 12, 2011DJ

Michael OleagaEditor-in-ChiEf

ROse Fava

Managing Editor

eRika BelliDO

WEb Editor

kelly POveRO

Copy Editor

JeMMa yORk

nEWs Editor

cOlBy hOchMuth

EntErtainMEnt Editor

MaRtin tOtlanD

opinion Editor

featured rePorterscharles lInk

[email protected]

colleen murray

[email protected]

eBony turner

[email protected]

oPeratIonal staff

The Pace Chronicleis published by

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Written and edited by the students of Pace

University, The Pace Chronicle is publishedweekly during the academic year. Opinions

expressed herein do not necessarily represent

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The Pace Chronicleencourages responses to

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tor or unsolicited manuscripts, and reserves

the right to edit or comment editorially on

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Appearance of an advertisement in ThePace Chronicle does not imply endorsements

by the members of the editorial board, the

advisor, or Pace University of the products or

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reserved unless otherwise indicated. Sub-

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The Pace Chronicle,

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Pleasantville, N.Y. 10570

Phone: (914) 773-3401

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www.PaceChronicle.net

susana veRDugO-Del Real

sports Editor

taFasha Pitt

Layout Editor

aDaM saMsOn

photography Editor

MaRkROBeRtsOn

Copy Editor

alexanDRa silveR

fEaturE Editor

Melissa Recine

hEaLth Editor

gaBRielle Davina

CoLuMnist Editor

The PaceChronicleedItorIal staff

contrIButorsProf. howard weIshaus

[email protected]

James ward

[email protected]

saroya [email protected]

Need to spruce upthat resume?

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The Pace Chronicle

to it?

Meetings: Mondays,

9 p.m., Willcox Hall,

3rd floor!

Its crazy cause this poem came to me in a dream,

Somethin' like a musical you'll see what I mean...,

We sat down amongst some greats and told them the story,

And a few of them had some words for me,

First thing Pac said to me,

You think cops give a damn about a negro?Pull the trigger kill a n****, he's a hero,

Seems like every lyric touches me in different ways,

Cops killing, showing me that crime pays,

That's not the attitude you'd want me to have,

But I can't help it I'm just so mad,

I start thinking Biggie and Tupac when I think of this,

Close my eyes, squeeze, and make a wish,

I know your mom just wants one more kiss,

All we got left is to reminisce,

Sean Bell, Amadou Diallo type of stuff,

I'm writing this wondering when enough is enough,

Thoughts of living without you are rough,

And knowing how you went out makes it even more tough,

They killed you, no if, ands, or buts, so,

I'm not Leon, you won't see me playing pick-ups with Nutzo,

But here's a fact you can trust though,

I'm here because every negative thought, word, idea of you must go,

I remember the rst day I met you in the summer of '08,

We were all set up and ready and you came strolling in late,

We were going through the group names you never raised your hand,

And it wasn't until later that I was able to understand,

When we got back to the dorms, I saw your name tag on the oor,

I crossed out Danroy lled in DJ and put it back up on the door,

I remember you thanking me for that sign of respect,

And its that memory of you on which I'll always reect,

All these questions about Iona and how things would be,

I told you wait till August man, then you'll see,

You trashed Harlem and said you'd teach me how them Mass. boys

stunt,

And I always clowned the way your tted was cocked to the front,

Even when you left to Pace, it was always the same,

Nothing changed but the jersey you rocked during the game,

Your Supra kicks and Johnny Cupcake shirts,The Boston tteds and all the works,

Always repped your home with pride,

Just a small symbol of the man inside,

But to us all you were so much more,

Which is why we're left with hearts so sore,

And Ice Cube said MANNNN,

"Eff the Police comin straight from underground,

Young brother got it bad cause he's brown,

And not the other color so police think,

they have the authority,

to kill a minority,"

When I heard the news my heart hit new lows,

And for the next few days I'm convinced time froze,

I struggled wondering why it was you God chose,

Why is he taking another one of my Bros?

I had to remove you as a friend on my Facebook page,

Cause all the messages to you were causing so much rage,

Shut down inside; ain't know where to lean for a while,

And then I closed my eyes & I saw your smile,

As you sat down I started talking to you,

Started thinking of all the things that I could do,

You promised me that you'd help me through,

And I swear I heard you tell me to write this too,

Here's a message to anyone who's not sure who he was,

And all those mixed up in the media buzz,

He wasn't just another black kid; he was our star,

His dreams and aspirations were gonna take him far,

I wish he'd never even went to that bar,

And if I could've I'd put a shield over that car,

I don't care if I was there to witness or not,

All the stories they're spreading on the news are shot,

That's not the DJ we know and yeah people may change,

But all of these conicting views are just so strange,

Saddest part about it all was seeing your mom,I'm having crazy thoughts and she seems so calm,

Bob Marley said,

"Woman hold her head and cry cause her son has been shot down in the

street and died,"

But She say its all our thoughts and prayers givin her strength,

If I was in her shoes I know I couldn't go that length,

That's a load on the heart it must weigh a ton,

Can't imagine how it feels to tell a mom she's lost one,

Or how a dad copes without his rst born son,

Then Marvin say,

"Mother, mother, there's too many of you crying,

Brother, brother, brother, there's far too many of you dying,"

And its true,

They gunned you down boy and you're not the rst,

Trigger happy cops need a way to quench their thirst,

They made a big mistake and they will pay, trust this,

We won't stop until we see justice,

But justice for us would bring you back to earth,

And give us more time to cherish your worth,

But for now I'll do my best to keep your memory alive,

And you save a place up there for when I arrive,

So onto this memory to which we hold,

The spirit of a young man oh so bold,

Knocked down when he was only 20 years old,

I pray for your soul As my heart turns cold,

And my emotions run uncontrolled,

By the word of the Lord I am now consoled,

So I stand strong and will not fold,

Cause I won't rest until your story is told,

Not gon let a soul try and tarnish your mold,

While we were talking DJ said, "Don't miss me,"

It was then I realized he'd always be with me,

For anyone suffering he's with you too,Letting go is not what you do,

Hold on tighter because he's still with you,

Look into your heart & you'll know its true,

DJ disappeared and I realize this is just a dream,

Waking up won't stop this nightmare, I still wanna scream,

And Diddy say,

"Give any thing to hear half your breath, I know you're still living your

life after death,"

Man this situation is just so hard,

But sweeping up the pieces of my broken heart,

Cuz now you're a soldier in the army of God,

And this isn't sweat, these are tears, I can't pretend B,

You see I was honored to have had Danroy Henry,

Befriend me,

So in the name myself and my God I will defend thee,

A little math in the aftermath of the bullets that caused the destruction

of DJ's path,

A life + A gun = another lost one,

Let go to get one, lose some to win some Story of a Champion, DJ

You're a champion,

And I know your physical was only a shell,

So its only temporary, never farewell,

You were our angel now you're ying high...,

So its see you later,

Cause I,

NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE,

See you ONE SWEET DAY,

Miss you DJ.

Poem for DJ

What comes to mind when you hear,

Someone was named ofcer of the year?

Do we think a citizen, loyal and good?

A hero who is admirable, as we should?

Unfortunately Westchester County doesn't agree,

They've decided to reward a tragedy,

A careless ofcer who made a mess,

I speak of course, of Aaron Hess,

How can such recklessness be rewarded?

Even after we saw what was recorded,

In Thornwood that night when the fun ended

Where a mother lost her son, as DJ ascended

So what does this award mean to her?!

To us?!

Disregard, disrespect, all in the name of Aaron Hess.

Officer of the YearJaMes WaRD

[email protected]

saROya MaRsh

[email protected]


3/12

(Left to Right) The Henry family (Danroy, Sr., Amber, Kyle, DJ, and Angella) together for a Pace

football game.

page 3 The Pace Chronicle Wednesday, oCt. 12, 2011 DJ

Timeline of Events:mIchael oleaga

editor-in-ChieF

[email protected]

rose faVa

Managing editor

[email protected]

colleen murray

featured rePorter

[email protected]

Jemma york

neWs editor

[email protected] By:

gaBRielle saulsBeRy

CoLuMnist Editor

[email protected]

Continued on Page 4

ROse Fava

Managing Editor

[email protected]

OneYearLater:The Death of DJ

PhOtO FROM angella henRy

The Pace ChronicleSpecial Report

Approaching the anniversary of DJ Henrys death, The Pace Chronicle staff de-

cided to dedicate an entire issue to the incident that touched the Pace community.

Many are still seeking closure, yet there are questions that still have to be answered.

Michael Oleaga

Editor-in-ChiEf

[email protected]

alexanDRa silveR

fEaturE [email protected]

susana veRDugO-Del Real

sports Editor

[email protected]

Melissa Recine

hEaLth Editor

[email protected]

kelly POveRO

Copy Editor

[email protected]

Hes not gone, hes just dif-

ferent.

Thats what Amber Henry

said to her family the night she

found out her older brother androle model, Danroy DJ Henry,

Jr., was shot and killed by a po-

lice ofcer in Thornwood.

Almost a year has passed

since the event shook the Pace

community to the core, and even

more so, the Henry family.

I dont think that theres

a word that you can use. We

miss everything about him every

dayhis voice, his presence, his

jokes, his smile, said Angella

Henry, mother of DJ.

DJ was at Finnegans Bar and

Grill with friends and fellow Pace

students on the early morning ofOct. 17, 2010. He was inside his

car, parked in a re lane, when

police showed up in response to

an unrelated disturbance outside

the bar. An ofcer tapped on

DJs car window to signal him to

move out of the re lane and as

DJ pulled away, Pleasantville Po-

lice Ofcer Aaron Hess stepped

in front of the vehicle and shot

through the windshield in the di-

rection of the driver.

Another ofcer red as well,

hitting passenger Brandon Cox in

the arm. A third passenger, Des-

mond Hinds, had bullets y by

either side of his head but was notinjured. Cox survived; his friend

DJ did not.

Much controversy surrounds

the events of that night and the

actions of the policemen.

According to the Justice for

DJ blog, Westchester Medical

Center told the Henry family that

DJ was shot for running down

ofcers. The blog also states that

ballistics and forensic evidenceprove that Hess shot DJ before

being struck by the car. Despite

the evidence against him, a grand

jury cleared Hess of any wrong-

doing regarding the incident.

Regardless of whether Hess

was justied in shooting the

20-year-old, a mother and father

are now without their eldest son,

and a brother and sister are now

without their eldest sibling.

decided to have days dedicated to

spending time together, dubbing

them DADKAH days.

DADKAH is an acronymwith each letter representing

each member of the family: Dan-

roy Dan, Sr.; Angella; Danroy

DJ, Jr.; Kyle, and Amber Henry.

DJs death didnt break the

strength of DADKAH. Although

it will never be the same as be-

fore, the family tries to continue

to spend time together and put

family rst, a phrase DJ had

tattooed on his wrists.

We have DADKAH mo-

ments now. Its been harder to

have days over the past year but

we certainly have moments where

were all together and we feel to-getherwe really feel connected,

and where DJ is very much there

in his new form, said Dan.

Angella and Dan remembertheir son as a young man with a

big heart, great spirit, and incred-

ible work ethic. They say he was

happy to wear Pace colors and

represent the University on and

off the football eld.

Representative of his person-

ality was his enthusiastic partici-

pation in the youth football camp

Pace hosts annually.

Like all requirements, some

do them willingly and some re-

luctantly. I think he felt honored

and proud that they were looking

up to him, [that the kids] wanted

his autograph and were reallyopen to his instruction about how

to play and about how to be a

good person. He was really happy

to do it, said Dan.

This years youth football

camp, held on Oct. 2, was dedi-

cated to DJ.

The Henrys said DJ was

proud to be a member of the Pace

community and in turn wants the

Pace community to remember

their son and to keep his name

alive. Theyre thankful to the stu-

dents who have done so over the

past year.

We still feel like were partof the Pace community and we

still appreciate what the students

that are there now will do and the

students that are coming in will

do, said Dan.

About six months ago, the

Henrys created the DJ Dream

Fund to remove nancial barriers

that prevent many children and

young adults from playing sports,

going to camp, or doing other

things related to living a healthy

lifestyle. It provides scholarships

to help people, usually under the

age of 18, the opportunity to go

to sports camps, summer camps,

gymnastics camps, and after-school programs.

Were excited to be able to al-

low children to say yes to sports

like DJ could, said Dan. Sports

and healthy lifestyles build self-

esteem for them to feel good

about themselves. Where theyve

had to say no in the past, were

getting them off the sidelines.

We put a lot of energy into

that because we realize its a way

to keep him living through other

children, said Angella.

Their son will also be memo-

rialized in an on-campus clock

tower slated to be built in the rstseveral months of 2012.

Pace and the Henry fam-

ily arent the only ones trying to

keep DJs name alive.

Rappers Jay-Z and Kanye

West dedicated a song to him on

their newly released album Watch

the Throne called Murder to Ex-

cellence. He is immortalized in

Jay-Zs rst line of the song as he

says This is to the memory of

Danroy Henry.

Angella and Dan said they

had no idea this tribute was in

the works, and found themselves

shocked and totally surprised

when they heard about it.

After the albums release, so-

cial media were abuzz with Pace

students sharing links to the song

that referenced their former class-

mate.

DADKAH FOREVER

MEMORIALIZED &

REMEMBERED

Like any close-knit family in

todays busy world, the Henryssought out ways to stay close and

connected while DJ and his sib

lings Kyle, now 18, and Amber,

now 16, were growing up. They

PhOtO FROM angella henRy

(Left to Right) Kyle Henry, Danroy Henry, Sr., and DJ Henry.

Oct. 17, 2010:1:25 a.m.: Reports of

shots red outside Finnegans Bar

and Grill at the Thornwood Shopping

Center, according to Mount Pleasant

Police.

Oct. 17, 2010:1:35 a.m.: Danroy DJ

Henry, Jr. is carried onto a stretcher and

wheeled to an ambulance.

Oct. 17, 2010:Early morning: DJ is

pronounced dead.Oct. 17, 2010:Early morning: Pace students

Daniel Parker, Joseph Garcia, Joseph Ro-

manick, and Yves Delpeche are arrested and

charged with criminal mischief, disorderly

conduct, resisting arrest or obstruction.


4/12


Timeline

We heard it for the rst time

the morning that the album was

released, said Angella. Dan

downloaded it after receiving a

tweet that there was a song dedi-

cated to DJ. We all listened to it

and were just overwhelmed andshocked, and we appreciate that

he uses his voice to bring atten-

tion to what happened to our son.

Despite a New York State

grand jurys decision not to indict

Ofcer Hess or any other police-

men in DJs death, the US De-

partment of Justice continues to

investigate the incident. DJs par-

ents are hopeful that the investi-

gation will lead to the prosecution

of the man who killed their son as

well as any other ofcers deemedequally responsible.

Since Oct. 17, 2010, the fami-


ly has conducted their own inves-

tigation and feel that they have aclear view of what happened that

night despite what Dan described

as Westchester District Attorney

Janet DiFiores unwillingness to

cooperate and support us.

The family is also in the be-

ginning stages of a civil suit

against Hess.

Were at the mercy of the

dockets and the local courts so

that could take a while, said

Dan. We are attempting to gain

access to evidence that the district

attorney is not willing to release,

including surveillance from that

night and 911 audio that a yearlater shes not allowing anyone

else to view.

Dan and Angella expressed

a heavy amount of gratitude for

the support that they feel from

the Pace community and hope

that the students will continue to

rally behind them for proper legal

action to be taken in the name of

their son.

The one thing that we hope

continues is that the students

use their collective voices to re-

ally demand some accountabil-

ity because the folks that live inPleasantville or on those cam-

puses ought to feel like they can

coexist in a community there in a

way that doesnt put them in any

harm or danger, and if something

wrong is done then theres ac-

countability for it, said Dan.

DJs parents describe their son

as someone truly bothered by in-

justice in the world, and someone

who would be ghting as hard as

he possibly could to right a wrong

like this if he were still physically

here.

Angellas advice to parents

who nd themselves in a similarsituation in the future is simple:

Never stop ghting.

As hard as it may be to un-

derstand at the time, life goes on

after tragedy. DJs brother Kyle

started his rst year of college,

and Amber is more than halfway

done with high school. Their par-

ents describe them as nothing

short of amazing people.

I appreciate how strong

theyve had to be under difcult

circumstances moving with us

through each moment, said Dan.

On Oct. 29, on what would

have been DJs 22nd birthday, the

Henrys are hosting a DJ Dream

Fund fundraising gala at the Sea-port Hotel in Boston.

Well be together with family

and friends and complete strang-

ers that purchased tickets to be a

part of celebrating his life, said

Angella.

According to the Dream

Funds website, tickets to the gala

are sold out.

In regard to the upcoming an-

niversary of his death, Dan said

that the 17th is just going to be

another hard day. After losing a

child in such a tragic way, every

day becomes difcult.Just remember to take the

next breath. Honestly, thats what

weve tried to do.

The family continues to feel

part of the Pace community and

are ever-grateful for the students

show of support. They rely on

that support, from friends and

strangers, to get through each

day. Most importantly, they rely

on each other.

Its always going to be the

ve of us, said Angella. The

story may fade away for other

people, but for us, this is our life.

We need to stay connected andunited and for us, well always be

DADKAH.

JUSTICE FOR DJ

A simple mission: Justice.

Its right in the groups name:

Justice for DJ. This may seem

like a simple concept but things

are not always what they seem.

Justice for DJ was created by

Aria Smith. Smith did not attend

Pace, and she never met DJ, but

after she read about his death she

knew she had to do something.

People asked me all the time

why I stepped forward, but I

mean, why not, said Smith.

Smith started Justice for DJ

after she went online to look for

a group and couldnt nd one.She created a Facebook page

and never thought it would have

been as big as it became. Only af-

ter about a week, the group had

over 2,000 members in it. At that

point, one of DJs aunts wrote on

the Facebook page trying to nd

the creator of the group. Smith

responded and was invited to the

memorial service that was held in

Boston on Oct. 29, 2010, which

would have been DJs 21st birth-

day.

Justice for DJ has had mul-

tiple events within the past year.Their rst event was a balloon

rally that took place in front of

the county center in White Plains

on Oct. 22, 2010, the Fri. after the

death of DJ.

After that, the group, along

with some of DJs aunts and cous-

ins, organized a march in White

Plains in Nov. 2010.

The march was not something

that was easy to make happen.

According to Smith, they were

refused a permit multiple times.

It wasnt until after the march

that Smith met DJs parents.

Smith said that the Henry familywas offered help by other people

but those people wanted some-

thing out of it. When the Henrys

realized this wasnt Smiths in-tention they wanted to meet her.

After the march, more events

were organized by Justice for DJ,

including vigils and balloon ral-

lies, the most recent was last Aug.

in Grand Central Station after the

release of the song Murder to

Excellence by Jay-Z and Kanye

West, which referenced DJ in the

opening line.

Beyond getting justice for DJ,

the group works to inform the

public about what happened on

Oct. 17, 2010, and what has been

happening ever since.

Justice for DJ is still workingon spreading the word, especially

with the year anniversary ap-

proaching.

To mark the one year an-

niversary, on Oct. 17, there is a

nation-wide balloon rally sched-

uled, as well as a national press

conference in Boston thats being

touted on Facebook as a Special

Announcement.

At the press conference, Bran-

don Cox, a friend of DJ who was

shot while sitting in the passenger

seat, will be announcing that he is

ling a lawsuit against the MountPleasant Police Department. That

same night there will be a vigil

held for DJ in his home town in

Mass.

There will also be more media

coverage about DJ; ESPN will be

airing a one hour special on Oct.

24, and BET is working on a sec-

ond special.

Although Smith said she re-

ceived help from Pace students,

she says that Pace ofcials, how-

ever, does not want to work with

her because of the fact that she is

not a Pace student.

The hardest part of all this, ac-cording to Smith, is trying to get

people involved.

Its the most heartbreaking

thing to plan an event and put allthis energy into it and hardly any-

one shows up.

One thing Smith never thought

was that she would be as involved

in getting justice for the Henry

family and all involved.

I honestly thought Id make a

Facebook page to be helpful and

that was it. Meeting DJs friends,

especially his familythat never

crossed my mind.

The Justice for DJ Facebook

page currently has over 5,000

supporters and has over 400 fol-

lowers on Twitter.

For more information, LikeJustice for DJ Henry on Face-

book and follow @Justice4DJ on

Twitter.

Continued on Page 5

MOVING FORWARD

PhOtO By aRia sMithStudents gathered in White Plains on Oct. 22, 2010, protesting police brutality,

just six days after DJ was killed.

Oct. 17, 2010: 9 p.m.: Pace University

gathers for a candlelight vigil. Led by the

football team, they walk silently to the

eld and return to Goldstein Fitness Cen-

ter to share their memories about DJ.

Oct. 20, 2010: US Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA)

calls for a "thorough investigation" into DJ's

death.

Oct. 22, 2010: Pace students participate in 15th Na-

tional Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, in White

Plains, wearing black to honor DJ.

LEGAL ACTION


5/12


Timeline

THE LAST GAME

Game day. It has become part

of the vocabulary among ath-

letic departments to refer to the

days that have been scheduled

for games. But in no ones mind,does it rst cross the fact that it

could potentially be the last game

for any Pace athlete.

With the adrenaline that

comes before the game, and the

focus that comes from playing

hard, theres no room to think

about anything other than getting

that win to improve the teams

record.

On Sat., Oct. 16, 2010, it was

more than just a game day for DJ.

It was his last game.

It was Homecoming at Pace

and the game was against Stone-

hill College.

Although the Setters lost, DJ

kept a positive and encouraging


attitude. It was a constant re-

minder that football was his pas-sion, his sport, and a loss was not

going to change that.

The Massachusetts-native rst

played college football at Iona

College in New Rochelle, about

20 miles from Pace. When Iona

dropped their football program,

DJ couldnt bare the thought of

going to college and not being

out on the eld.

Although DJ could have

stayed at Iona, he wanted the best

of both worlds: that of academics

as well as athletics, which Pace

offered.

DJ came in as a transfer stu-dent after his freshmen year at

Iona and took the opportunity to

join the football team.

As a coach, you wish you

had about 85 DJ's on your team,

said Pace football coach, Chris

Dapolito. Besides the fact that

he was a tremendous athlete [and]

that we were lucky to have him

here at Pace, he was coachable

and he understood the bigger pic-

ture of athletics.

As wide receiver and defen-

sive back, DJ had love for thegame.

He went to Milford Academy

Prep School before choosing Iona

to further improve his experience

and chances to play football at a

college level.

Senior nance student, and

longtime friend and teammate,

Eshawn Armstrong, took this

experience of losing DJ as moti-

vation, making the most out of

everyday you are alive because

you never know when your time

is going to come You cant take

anything for granted.

As time passes, the pain may

slowly ease and playing football

becomes natural once again. Not

only does the team play for wins

but they also play in honor oftheir fallen teammate.

Emulating what DJ did to play

football takes dedication and the

kind of attitude that can take any

beating and cause a person to still

want to keep going.

DJ inspired others on the

eld and brought his work ethic

to the eld every day, never shy-

ing away from a challenge and

encouraging competition with

hopes of making his teammates

better, said Dapolito. There is

not a day that goes by that we

don't miss him.

On this years Oct. 17, Pacewill commemorate the anniver-

sary of DJs death, but all will al-

ways continue to remember him

on a daily basis.

This wasnt the way Joseph

Romanick pictured it.

He had been through enoughalready. The native of Slidell,

Louisiana, was 17-years-old

when Hurricane Katrina ravaged

his hometown and forced him

to abandon nearly everything he

owned.

The worst memory I have

from Katrina is standing in my

driveway when I rst arrived

home. Everything I ever knew

had been destroyed, recalled Ro-

manick.

We had to wake up at 4 a.m.

to wait in line at a closed down

Wal-Mart for three hours just to

get MREs (meals ready to eat),

ice, and water. The National

Guard was handing out the food.

He relocated to three different

homes, including one in Atlanta,before he could return home to

rebuild.

It was long hours and hard

work. But he did it. School in the

morning, football practice in the

afternoon, and then construction

with his parents at night. His days

were long and his nights restless.

He struggled in high in school

and barely graduated and college

was put on hold.

He needed a change.

He earned a scholarship to a

Maine prep school and excelled.

He became eligible for Division

II and III football and schoolswere interested in the Louisiana

quarterback.

He chose Pace University.

It was a fresh start. It was New

York not quite Manhattan, not

quite upstate. It was Westchester

County, and as much as he loved

Louisiana, he needed something

new. After his home was rebuilt,

it was now time to rebuild his life.

At Pace, he had a shot to com-

pete for the starting quarterback

position, made new friends, and

formed bonds on his new footballteam. He did well in school, he

was popular on campus. Life was

good.

Then Oct. 17, 2010, happened.

In the mayhem that followed

after DJ was shot and killed out-

side of Finnegans Bar and Grill,

four of DJs teammates were

arrested - Joseph Garcia, Yves

Delpeche, Daniel Parker, and Ro-

manick.

Romanick was charged with

felony criminal mischief, and

it took over ve months for the

charges to nally be dropped

against him. Judge Robert Panzini

talked to the boys after dismiss-

ing the charges. The judge was

quoted in media outlets as saying

to the four men afterwards, "Onechapter of your life is closed. You

now have another chapter of your

life moving forward."

Romanick, a business man-

agement major, is scheduled to

graduate spring of 2013. He has

another year of football to look

forward to but Romanick admits

its been hard for him to move on.

That night has never seemed

to leave his mind and he admits

sometimes its hard to fathom that

its real.

Every day I see things that

remind me of DJ, and I try to stay

positive. I think about the greatmemories we shared, but its hard

not to think about that night and

relive it. I'll never be the same

from it.

DJ was more than just a team-

mate to Romanick. He was one of

his best friends. Romanick cant Continued on Page 8

put a nger on what hell miss

most about DJ there are too

many things to list, he says.

His friendship, his voice, his

humor, his positive attitude, his

outlook on things, his dedication

to his dreams, and Romanick sayshe can rattle of hundreds of great

characteristics.

Wait, he said. I know what

Ill miss most. What Ill miss the

most about DJ are all the dreams

and goals we set to accomplish

together, and how we will never

get the chance to do so.

He thanks his teammates and

his close friends for sticking by

him. He thanks his family, for

supporting him through thick and

thin.

So many people have helped

me through Hurricane Katrina

and through DJ's death. Each situ-

ation has changed my life drasti-

cally and I am the man I am today

because of these situations, said

Romanick.I cant thank them enough for

the support that they showed for

DJ, the Henry family, my fellow

arrested teammates, and myself.

Yet, there were others that

didnt support him. Romanick

doesnt get specic on who the

others are, but he doesnt have

to. He says he learned the hard

way about how some people

dont care about what others are

going through because it does not

involved them directly.

Some avoided the situation

and left me to handle it by my-

self, which was very difcult to

grasp and hurtful during such a

traumatic event.

That night in Oct. wasnt sup-

posed to be this way. It was just

supposed to be a night out of fun,

THE SCARS

FOREVER REMAIN

DJ during an away game in 2010. PhOtO FROM the henRy FaMily

(Left to Right) Delpeche, Garcia, Romanick, and Hinds outside the Mount Pleasant Court House

last winter.

PhOtO FROM the JOuRnal neWs

Oct. 29, 2010: DJs 21st Birthday. DJs life

is celebrated in Boston. Thousands attend to

remember and pay respects, including many

Pace students.

Dec. 16, 2010: Pace students hold a vigil

to mark the two month anniversary of DJ's

death.

Jan. 30, 2011: A memorial mass celebrating

DJ's life is held at Iona College, where DJ

played football before transferring to Pace.


6/12


Gone but Ne

Timeline

Feb. 16, 2011: A grand jury refuses to in-

dict Aaron Hess, the Pleasantville police

ofcer who shot DJ.

Feb. 17, 2011: For the four month anniversary

of DJs death, the Vigil Against Violence is held

at the Thornwood Shopping Center where Henry

was killed. Students and friends of DJ from Pace,

Iona, and the community attend.

March 24, 2011: All charges against students

Garcia, Delpeche, Parker, and Romanick are

dropped.


7/12

page 7 The Pace Chronicle Wednesday, oCt. 12, 2011

DJ

er Forgotten

Timeline

PhOtOcReDits:thE hEnry faMiLy

adaM saMson

aria sMithCsi photos

gabriELLE sauLsbEry

MiChaEL oLEaga

rosE fava

susyvErdugo-dEL rEaL

March 25, 2011: The "I Am DJ Henry" event on

Facebook and Twitter. Hundreds of people from

around the country change their prole picture to

these words and make their status "I Am DJ Hen-

ry." Participants were also asked to make a video

clip stating I Am DJ Henry as well.

April 12, 2011: The Pleasantville police ofcer

who shot DJ, Aaron Hess, is named Ofcer of the

Year, by the Pleasantville Police Benevolent As-

sociation.

April 17, 2011: The six month anniversary of

DJ's death was marked by a second "I am DJ

Henry" event, as organized in March. Supporters

again changed their prole pictures and statuses

in order to attract media attention and not let DJs

death be forgotten.


8/12



a rite of passage for all college

students. He doesnt comment on

what exactly happened to DJ that

night, what he saw, and his opin-

ion of the police action. Again, he

doesnt have to.

The boy who came home to

nd his house under four trees

and nearly ve feet of water be-came the man who watched one

of his best friends red upon by

police.

He is moving forward with a

civil lawsuit against the police. It

is believed that some of his team-

mates are doing the same.

Romanick admits that he is a

different person now. If Katrina

didnt make sure of that, Oct. 17,

2010, certainly did.

His life over the past year has

changed in every possible way.

He has had no choice but to look

at everything differently now.

I gained an appreciation oflife, and how anything can hap-

pen on any day, he said. I just

take every day one day at a time

with a positive attitude, and I'm

just truly blessed to have the peo-

ple in my life that support me.

Timeline

THE DJ MEMORIAL

CLOCK

Pace is dedicating a memorial

clock in DJs name, outside the

Goldstein Fitness Center.

After the death of DJ last Oct.,

Dean for Students Lisa Bardill

Moscaritolo and Athletics andRecreation for Student Affairs

Joseph ODonnell sat down with

then Student Association (SA)

President Vincent Birkenmeyer

along with Delpeche, Garcia,

Hinds, Parker, and Romanick to

discuss what can be done to re-

member DJ.

Some of our planning fo-

cused around the tragic part of his

death, but also it was real clear

that he affected a lot of people the

short time he was here, said Bar-

dill Moscaritolo.

After tossing around some

ideas, one idea the group came upwith was a youth football clinic,

the DJ Memorial Youth Clinic.

We were talking about him

as a person and it was evident

he was about giving to children

and how important sports was to

him, said Bardill Moscaritolo.

Though the clinic was ex-

ecuted successfully, the group re-

alized there needed to be a more

physical memorial for DJ that

symbolized who he was and the

impact he had on campus.

According to the dean for stu-

dents, ODonnell keeps a little

clock on his desk and ultimatelycame up with the idea for the me-

morial clock. The group realized

it would be perfect due to the fact

DJs football number while at

Pace was the number 12.

Once the dean for students got

approval from DJs family of the

project, it was time to fundraise.

Pace President Stephen J.

Friedman, the athletics depart-

ment, and the Ofce of the Pro-

vost has offered to help pay for

the memorial clock. Also, last

years SA helped raise money

through the J. Cole and Travie

McCoy concert last spring.Fundraising for the memorial

clock will continue throughout

the remainder of the semester.

A speed bump the faculty and

staff have hit many times along

the way is unhappiness from the

student body.

Following DJs death, stu-

dents voiced disappointment that

Pace was doing very little to ac-

knowledge events surrounding

the tragedy.

I think a lot of it was mis-

communication, said Bardill

Moscaritolo. We did not know

that was something we were sup-posed to be part of. We are not on

Facebook like a lot of the students

are; so if something happens and

we are not aware of it, there is not

much we can do.

She also mentioned the fact

that during the rst few months

after DJs death they were dealing

with the media issues just like the

students were (i.e. dealing with

the press, making pins, handing

out bracelets, the balloon rally,

and the vigils).

On Oct. 16, there will be an

event where students will be giv-

en ags with the number 12 writ-ten on one side and the other side

will be left blank for people to

write personal messages on. The

ags will then be placed along

Shirley Beths Way.

The memorial clock dedica-

tion ceremony is expected to take

place early next semester. Ac-

cording to Bardill Moscaritolo,

DJs family will attend the dedi-

cation, where they will be pre-

sented with a certicate of DJs

completed credits.

COPING WITH DJSDEATH

Continued on Page 9

Death is something that no

one understands until it is experi-

enced rsthand. College students

look at death as something that is

happening to our grandparents

era and something that will hap-

pen to us years from now.

Unfortunately, we had to learn

how to grieve sooner than we ex-

pected.

People deal with death in a va-

riety of different ways. Elisabeth

Kubler-Ross introduced the ve

stages of grief in 1969 throughher bookDeath and Dying.

This model has been a guide

for people everywhere when deal-

ing with people who are coping

with death. The ve stages in or-

Model of the Danroy DJ Henry Memorial Clock, set to debut in early 2012 outside The Ann and Alfred Goldstein Health, Fitness, and Recreation Center.

PhOtO FROM DeanFORstuDents lisa BaRDill MOscaRitOlO

April 20, 2011: Individuals from all over the

country participated in the Wings of Hope:

National Balloon Rally for DJ carrying

white balloons with the number 12 written on

it with angel wings.

Aug. 8, 2011: Jay-Z and Kanye West dedi-

cate the record "Murder to Excellence" to "the

memory of Danroy Henry."

Aug. 12, 2011: A peaceful group, including Pace

students, plan to release balloons with the words

from Murder to Excellence in DJ's memory,

but are hassled and stopped by police in Grand

Central.


9/12


The Pace ChronicleSpecial Reportder are denial, anger, bargaining,

depression, and acceptance. Of

course these do not apply to ev-

eryone and the way they handle

a death close to their hearts, but

it does give an overview of what

many people endure following asudden death.

Dr. Lauren Saler from the

Pace Counseling Center shared

her best techniques for how stu-

dents should effectively cope

with death.

I think taking part in tributes

and contributing in other initia-

tives, like the remembrance ags

and the memorial clock, is a very

important way for students to ad-

dress, cope, and continue to work

through the many emotions that

will come up as we approach the

anniversary of this tragedy.

Many students also contribut-

ed their thoughts on coping with

death.

Although senior communica-

tions student Jake Perillo did not

know DJ personally he did reveal

the way he felt when he rst heard

about everything that happened.

I woke up from a dead sleep,

saw all the commotion going

down at the houses, but I had no

idea what was going on. One of

my fraternity brothers came by

my house crying and then he got

into a ght with someone. No one

was thinking straight. Everyone

lost someone special to them, one

of their peers. Although we maynot have known him, it feels like

the whole student body has made

some sort of connection with him

since his passing.

Junior business management

student Sarah Friedson said, Al-

though I didnt know DJ, after

hearing all the wonderful things

people had to say about him, I felt

as though I had known him. I was

constantly thinking about how it

could have easily happened to me

or anyone that I knew. I tried to

do my part as a fellow Pace stu-

dent to stand up for him. To this

day I tell people about the (Mur-

der to Excellence) song and ev-

erything that happened. I went to

the balloon rally in White Plains,

and Im constantly following the

news for updates.

Business management alum

Patrick Finnegan, former team-

mate of DJ, shared the way he felt

right after the tragedy occurred.

I was lost and hurt and I

know everybody on the team was

feeling the same way. No one re-

ally knew how to react or what to

do.

Finnegan added, It was tough

at the time, but coming together

as a team helped out a lot. Justbeing around a group of people

who had the same ties to DJ as I

did, who really knew him as the

ever happy kid that I knew him

as, and who were going through

the same thing really helped out

a lot.

Finnegan went on to share his

strategy for long term coping,

It is something that I deal with

daily, but I try to keep the same

mentality whenever it gets me

down: celebrate his life. As the

one year approaches, I kind of get

this shaky feeling that is hard toexplain, but Im going to do my

best to handle it in stride. I will

be going to the tributes and ev-

erything. I will try to be there for

my teammates as much as I know

theyll be there for me.

Nobody could have imagined

the emotions that would resurface

when Kanye West and Shawn

Carter, more commonly known as

Jay-Z, released their rst collab-

orative album Watch the Throne

on Aug. 8, 2011.The tenth track on the album,

Murder to Excellence, fea-

tures an opening verse by Jay-Z,

the rst line saying, This is to

the memory of Danroy Henry;

Too much enemy re to catch a

friendly.

This alone was enough to

send Pace students, as well as

DJs family and other supporters

into a wild frenzy. It had been 10

months since the atrocity and de-

spite the fact that students were

mostly home for summer and in

a different mindset, the song blewup on social network sites from

one side of the country to the

other.

West introduces the song with

the hook, The paper read mur-

der, black-on-black murder. The

paper read murder, black-on-

black murder.

History alum Tina Pilla was a

friend and next-door neighbor of

DJ.

When I rst heard the song,

chills went down my spine. My

entire body was numb. I grew

teary-eyed. It was an incredible

feeling knowing that Kanye and

Jay-Z even knew about what hap-pened to DJ, let alone wrote a

song about it. Even the thought of

it now amazes me.

The song not only addressed

DJs tragic death, but those in

other areas of the US as well.

West described his early life

Prof. Michael Perrota

contrubuted to this article.

MURDER TO

EXCELLENCE

in Atlanta while Jay-Z is a Brook-

lyn native, and together they ac-

knowledge 314 soldiers died in

Iraq and 509 died in Chicago.

The song indulges in murders in

Boston, Detroit, and other major

cities too.

It is commonly said in the mu-sic industry that people remember

your rst line, your last line, and

nothing in between. This is one

reason that DJs shout out is so

important and so utterly fantastic

for those seeking to shine positiv-

ity to those who continue to suf-

fer.

That one line gives Pace stu-

dents hope that people out there

still care and is craving the justice

that DJ and his family so genu-

inely deserve.

Senior art student India Bur-

gess stated, If even celebrities

are supporting the ght for jus-

tice for DJ, then its obviously ofimportance and should be recog-

nized by mainstream media and

by political agendas.

The Henry family released a

video on YouTube shortly after

the release of the song and Dan,

DJs father, said I want to thank

Kanye West and Jay-Z on behalf

of my family for joining us to

bring attention to what is for us,

real life.

In an report by NBC New

Yorks Natalia Martinez, DJs

mother Angella admitted that the

song will always hold a specialplace in our heartI would just

love to meet them just to be able

to say thank you in person.

The album was produced by

Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Na-

tion, and Def Jam Recordings

all operating under Island Def

Jam Motown Music Group.

To say that the dedication of

Murder to Excellence to DJ is a

small feat would be a lie.

Two major recording artists,

in a joint collaboration album, sat

down and decided that they were

going to make it a point to tell the

world about DJ and to honor his

memory through their own lyrics.If this isnt a step forward in the

ght for justice, then what is?

Kanye West & Jay-Z dedicate a song on their most recent album, Watch the Throne, to the memory of DJ Henry.

PhOtO FROM DeF JaM RecORDings, JusticeFORDJ henRy, PhOtOshOPPeDBy kelly POveRO

Timeline

Aug. 22, 2011: A golf tournament was held in

West Bridgewater, Mass. with all proceeds go-

ing to the DJ Dream Fund.

Oct. 12, 2011: The third I am DJ Henry rally

takes place on Facebook and Twitter. The Pace

Chronicle publishes its rst special edition for the

Pace student.

Oct. 16, 2011: A tribute to DJ will take place

at 8:30 p.m. at the Goldstein Fitness Center.

There will be students sharing their memories,

a slideshow, and a documentary made by stu-

dents to remember DJ and last year's tragedy.


10/12


eBOny tuRneR

fEaturEd CoLuMnist

[email protected]

What is 40 Acres and a MacBook?

Whether its the questionable news headlines on Fox or when we walk into Kessel and see all

the same kids sitting comfortably on opposite sides of the cafeteria, its time to stop ignoring

racial issues within our youth with our 40 acres and a Macbook - a modernized compensation

for the world in which we are forced to live in.

Murder to Excellence: More than just another statistic

No one truly understood what

Gil-Scott Heron meant when he

declared repetitively on wax that

the revolution will not be tele-

vised, but if he had the chance to

re-record the song, the message

would be no different.

The revolution of our society

has been televised, but this revo-

lution of terror, murder and rac-

ism covered under the guise of

authority is certainly something

that can only be internalized

when witnessed live.

We have reached a time where

our society is so conditioned to

accept the injustices of our pro-

tectors and our government that

we gure there is no use in do -

ing anything about it. It is not

until the injustice happens to our

friend that plays football for our

university that we truly under-

stand the need for a revolution.

It is not until injustice hap-pens to our housemate that would

make sure we walked around

campus with a fresh shape-up

that we understand the need for a

revolution. It is not until the in-

justice happens to our son who

we just watch play his last home-

coming football game that we

need a revolution. It is not until

the injustice happens to our best

friend who we will never speak

to again that we are in need of a

revolution.

We all saw the beating of

Rodney King, and we all heard

the story about Oscar Grants life

ending on that New Years eve-

ning, but for the distant reader

they are nothing but tragic stories

that we can only hope receive the

justice it deserves.

The death of Danroy DJ

Henry did more than unite an

entire group of people who oth-

erwise would never embrace one

another; it opened the minds and

scope of our student body and

community. It opened our eyes

to a tragedy that we normally see

from our 22-inch televisions, hav-

ing us swallow whole the gritty

reality of the world in which we

live. Rather than swimming in

the shbowl that is Westchester

County thinking we are exempt

from other peoples reality, we re-

alized we are all one in this world

and not exempt from any experi-ence. It inspired unity, but also

inspired action and a demand to

not allow for DJ to be just another

statistic or tragic story to be read

from afar. We did not want him

to be a victim tossed with other

black men who are only remem-

bered by the families in which

they came from.

His story touched an entire

community of youth from dif-

ferent backgrounds and races, all

coming together in the name of

one isolated goal: Justice.

Its ironic that with tragedy

comes the stripping down of

peoples everyday walls we walk

around with daily, bringing out

raw emotions that we would oth-

erwise leave jailed inside; if only

we could embrace one another

daily and not allow death to be

the only time we appreciate hu-

man life.

It speaks volumes to the pow-

er of DJs life, and lives of many

men who become victims to the

discriminatory deaths we have

been so conditioned to expect.

Just because we live in a

world where we live amongst be-

ings that do not all have respect

for human life, does not mean

that we should become victims to

that ignorance. Let the injustices

we see daily inspire the change

it deserves so we can prevent

seeing another story of a youngyouth gone too soon.

Thank you DJ for your life

and the lesson it taught us: to

live with purpose everyday and

be aware of the world around us

and not within us. The revolution

can be televised, but like the late

great Heron said 42-years-ago,

the revolution will have no re-

run brothers; the revolution will

be live.

I had the pleasure of know-

ing and teaching DJ Henry in

my Modern Latin American His-

tory course. He was a pleasant,

diligent, and caring young man. I

recall that he sat in the rst third

row from the window. We some-

times chatted in Miller Hall or on

the sidelines of the football home

games.

On the terrible day of hisdeath, I spoke to him before his

last game.

DJ, I said. You left your

notebook in my class, stop by my

ofce in Miller 20A, Ill return it

to you.

Sadly, I sent that notebook

to his parents by route of Jason

Washington, his close friend.

I spoke to hundreds of stu-

dents in the Goldstein Fitness

Center at this Vigil. So many

great, responsible, and caring stu-

dents came there that night. I re-

member telling the football team,

in particular, to be strong.

I still teach in Miller 21. I still

look at the desk he sat. I think ofwhat might have been for him

on his journey. Well, he passed

through my long career.

Im glad we met, even for a

brief time. DJ is in my thoughts

and in my heart.

I miss you DJ.

PROF. hOWaRD Weishaus

Contributor

[email protected]

In Memory of My Friend

As the one year anniversary

of DJs death approaches, it

makes one think, is Pace doing

enough to remember DJ?

In the year after his death the

University has held vigils, buses

to a memorial service, held a

concert where the funds went to

the DJ Henry Memorial Fund,

a youth clinic for local football

students, and the most recently

announced plans for a DJ Henry

memorial clock.

Though it seems like a rel-

atively short list, there were

many memorial services includ-

ing balloon releases at football

games and walks to remember

his legacy and ght against po-

lice injustice. But is the univer-

sity doing enough?

In my opinion, Pace is doing

a good job at remembering DJ

and honoring his life.

The one year anniversary of

someones death, especially one

as tragic as this is, is something

that should be recognized. On

Oct. 16, Pace will be having a

vigil for DJ in Goldstein Fitness

Center.

As time goes on, life goes

with it, and we, as humans,must follow along like a dog

on a leash. We must understand

that now that it has been the one

year anniversary of DJs pass-

ing it is time we remember, but

Is Pace

Acknowledging DJ?

continue in lifes endeavors.

We may miss DJ and know

what happened to him is wrong,

but we cannot freeze time. Time

has pushed forward and so must

we. Everyday someones life

changes by a death and some

are tragic like ours, but people

go back to work, school, and the

daily grind. We dont need to for-

get about our lost loved ones, but

we must learn to move forward,

carrying their memories with us.

As for the Pace, I believe they

have done everything right. Slow-

ly their ending the amount of re-

membrance services to nally

allow that wound to heal. Thats

not to say they should not do any-

thing else. They understand that

time heals and the more times

they hold memorial services and

events to remember DJ the harder

it will be to continue on.

Pace should work to keep DJs

legacy alive. Building a memori-

al, such as the planned DJ Henry

Memorial Clock, is a great way

to do this. I think that the univer-

sity could create a scholarship, in

honor of DJ, for student athletes,

possibly just football players, as

well.Things like this will allow us

to remember DJ, but at the same

time be able to move forward.

chaRles link

fEaturEd rEportEr

[email protected]

Professor Howard Weishaus of the Economics, History,

and Political Science Department taught DJ in fall 2010.

PhOtO By Michael Oleaga/the Pace chROnicle

Timeline Oct. 17, 2011: The one year anniversary of DJ's death will

be marked by a press conference and vigil in Boston and a

National Balloon Rally. Everyone is encouraged to partici-

pate in the balloon rally, regardless of location.

Oct. 24, 2011: ESPN set to air a one hour special on DJ.


11/12


Timeline

Oct. 29, 2011: The DJ Dream Fund Gala in Boston takes

place to raise money for the fund on what would have been

DJs 22nd birthday. There will be a silent auction with items

donated by Jay-Z, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Carmelo Antho-

ny, members of the Boston Celtics, and many others.

Jan. - Feb. 2012: The Danroy DJ Henry Memorial Clock

will be unveiled outside the Goldstein Fitness Center on the

Pleasantville campus.

A stuffed T-Bone Setter with a DJ Henry pin, in Dean for

Students Lisa Bardill Moscaritolos ofce.

PhOtO By Michael Oleaga/the Pace chROnicleWristbands dedicated to the memory of DJ Henry,

#12.

PhOtO By ROse Fava/the Pace chROnicle

The release of white balloons with the phrase I Am DJ

Henry on it during a balloon rally.

PhOtO By ROse Fava/the Pace chROnicle


12/12


Contribute toThe PaceChronicle: write, report, photograph. Contact The Pace Chronicle at [email protected]

Together We Stand,Together We Fall,

All for One, One For All,

By Myself, I Can Do Nothing,

With Some Help,

I Can Do Anything.In the Memory of Danroy DJ Henry, Jr.

the pace chronicle - volume i, issue v - the danroy "dj" henry jr. special edition - 10.12.11

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