Martez Toney was a student at Dunbar High School in DC. He turned 17 on December 16, 2022.
Martez (“Tezz”) was shot to death on January 2, in the 1200 block of Alabama Avenue, SE; he was with another child, age 14, who was also shot but is expected to survive. Mr. Toney’s homegoing is scheduled for Jan 18th at Temple of Praise, 700 Southern Avenue, SE. Viewing at 10 a.m. Celebration at 11 a.m.
Community members in some neighborhoods mourn every death to violence, but some just hit harder than others. Many community members, from a variety of programs and activities across town recollected Mr. Toney’s varied and active engagement.
“He was doing every single program that Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement [ONSE] offered,” Yukia Wilson, a family friend and a local activist, says. “Some don’t bother, but he was definitely trying…I knew him from before he was born, and this has been hard.”
Ms. Wilson has been supporting Toney’s family through her project, The Farewell Agency, which helps families manage the funeral and grieving process. This work includes assisting with administrative steps required to receive District burial assistance, looking over various documents before loved ones sign, and helping to ensure that no one takes advantage of vulnerable people.
“I do this specifically because many families do not know how to do all this… and the government does not always come through for us. When I get a case, it’s because a family contacted me, or sometimes a government agency will call: They know the family needs help they cannot provide.”
Helping a family relocate is not a usual part of The Farewell Agency’s work. But Tezz lived with his mother, her five other children and one grandchild. Due to the proximity of their home to the shooting, his family does not feel safe in the neighborhood.
“As many families as I work with, I never do a Go-Fund-Me,” Ms. Wilson adds. For this special circumstance, the family is seeking community support for their relocation.
Go-Fund-Me to support his family’s safety. The Farewell Agency — InstaGram and the web — also accepts donations.
Image Description: Homegoing flyer: Headshot of Martez Toney inside a sun-ray circle. Dec 16, 2005 – Jan 2, 2023. The Temple of Praise, 700 Southern Avenue, SE, Viewing 10 a.m. Celebration 11 a.m.
