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"Trees For Peace"
National Youth Violence Memorial Initiative
The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation nationwide Trees For Peace & Memorial Wall initiative: Honoring youth lost to gun & other forms of physical violence in the United States.
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September 2026 MEMORIAL WALL UPDATE: The foundation continues to to research and will begin, during the fall/winter 2026-2027 season, reaching out to potential host cities for this exciting, moving, memorial.
Currently, Austin, Texas & Laguna Beach, California are being considered for host cities; as well as Boston, Massachusetts. We continue to raise funds for the project and artist wall design projections for consideration. - Thank You.
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What is The Trees For Peace Initiative???
Memorial trees planted within our nations National Forests, are done so in partnership with special reforestation project partners, and serve as places of reflection not only for family, but for all those impacted by youth violence.
The Foundation utilizes third-party memorial and reforestation partners, through which memorial tree plantings are purchased and planting is coordinated.
In these cases, the Youth Peace & Justice Foundation purchases the memorial planting and designated location through the organization, and the trees are then planted through our partners established reforestation and conservation partnerships.
In addition to those national memorial plantings, the Foundation, when resources and family wishes permit, works with families and local municipal or community leaders to explore more localized memorial tree plantings; intended to provide a place of remembrance and visitation for loved ones within their communities.
CLICK HERE FOR OCTOBER 2026 MEMORIAL FUNDRAISER IN HONOR OF Edamari Chacon (Chicago)
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Through this national memorial initiative overall - The Foundation selects protected natural spaces for certain memorials to ensure long-term preservation and a serene environment for remembrance & works to create an additional localized lasting memorial in each city or city of choice per families.
The "Trees For Peace," Student Violence Memorial Project will plant a tree in one of the Nations national forests in memory of a student lost to violence in America.
This initiative is a national living memorial designed to be a symbol of peace and remembrance, and a catalyst for local and nationwide legislative change to gun & other violence related deaths among young people.
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Statement From Founder Daniel Chapin
Daniel Chapin, the founder and National Director of the Foundation has made a powerful statement regarding the foundation's mission and the "Trees For Peace," initiative:
"We're not just planting trees, We're planting hope. Each tree is a testament to a life that mattered, a future stolen, and a community's resolve to heal and prevent such tragedies from ever happening again. Our efforts cannot stop at memorializing the dead. They must propel us forward to demand the change needed to protect the living. We are committed to ending the reign of terror on our youth, and that includes advocating for a statewide and future federal ban on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. These are not tools for hunting; they are instruments of mass murder. This program is our living testament to the urgency of that change."
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All Youth Memorialized Through Our Trees For Peace Initiative Will Also Be Listed On The National Memorial Wall
FULL MEMORIAL WALL PROJECT DETAILS CLICK HERE
February - October 2026
- Ramone 'Red' Carter
- Javen Welcher
- Amari Cooper
- Kimber Mills
- Lizzell Sarahy Palma Villeda
- Elijah Wells
- Sabestgen Guyton
- Rakeeb Watson
- Kaleb Blumberg
- Eric Simmons III
- Nathan Lopez
- Daniel Sublasky
- Emily Finn
- Journey Rose Reotutar Guerrero
- Michael Allen
- Hamid Boyd
- Chikylah Richardson
- Ella Cook
- Mukhammad Aziz
- Donovan Metayer
- Jamar Jerome
- Emony Nicole Jackson
- Brenden Watkins
- Lil’raylin Harrison
- Ricardo Acevedo
- Camila Olmos**
- Isaiah Atkinson
- Nolan Carroll** (2024)
- Noah Juan Auburn Tracy
- Anthony Gallegos
- Johan Adaree-Sanchez
- Jonathan Henry Gordon-Charles
- Melissa Castrejon
- Josselin Dayana Corea Escalante
- Isaiah Ramos-Bostwick
- Matthew Milner
- Jazariah Del Toro
- Lucas Long
- Traveiah Houfmuse
- Tyjon Stewart
- Jayda Pearl Mabrey
- Tasean Brown
- Santino Gonzalez
- Christian Angulo
- Mason Schermerhorn
- Ryder Harrington
- Savitha Shan
- Ethan Colfax
- Louis Anthony Boone
- Kailon Price
- Harryson Anderson
- J’Mauri Smarr
- Jeremiah Carter
- Ava Little**
- Lilly Bova
- Jayla Elkins
- Shayla Elkins
- Kayla Pugh
- Layla Pugh
- Markaydon Pugh
- Sariahh Snow
- Khedarrion Snow
- Braylon Snow
- Martha Odom
- Ezekiel “Rudy” Almazan
- Deven Antonucci
- AVIANNA SMITH-GRAY
- Javon Townsend
- Destiny Lawson
- Nasir Majied
- Wilfredo Garcia
- Adrian Yancey Titsworth Jr.
- Di'Zhon Robertson
- Charlotte Ghekiere
- Landon Ghekiere
- Owen Ireland
- Chloe Ireland
- Ashley Intihar
- LePaul Warren
- Sha’michal Russell
- Caleb Flax
- Edamari Chacon
(Stabbing Attack)
* Amanda Karolkiewicz and her precious children, Ella and Caroline, both age 11, who were adopted from China. The family also included four sons, ages 15, 12, 11, and 5. Amanda & Her Children Lost Their Lives In Grand Haven, Michigan
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International Youth Violence Memorial In Honor of The Youth Lost At The Tumbler Ridge School Shooting, February 2026 - BC/CANADA
- Abel Mwansa
- Ezekiel Schofield
- Kylie Smith
- Zoey Benoit
- Ticaria Lampert
- Emmett Jacobs****
****Lost at a connected residence
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There was a single, heartbreaking tragedy that first spurred our mission and created a rallying cry for the nation to protect its children.
And then there was a continuous, escalating national crisis, where the faces of the lost multiply, including a promising ballerina whose pointe shoes will forever remain still, and a heroic cheerleader whose final act of organ donation gave life to others in the shadow of her own death.
These will never be forgotten...
** Lost To Firearm Suicide