Hoping to make a difference in D.C.’s struggle to fight gun violence, two local universities came together to raise money and honor a victim.
Howard University hosted crosstown rival American University at an exhibition men’s basketball game to honor Blake Bozeman, a former player at Morgan State University and father of three, who was shot to death at a nightclub on H Street in September.
His father, Todd Bozeman, who coached Blake in college, was in attendance.
“It’s something that’s plaguing not just the city but the country, and it’s senseless violence and we’re losing special people,” the elder Bozeman said. “At some point, it has to stop.”
Blake Bozeman was focused on giving back to the community, according to his father. The former guard ran a mentoring organization called The Pivot Group, focused on helping amateur athletes find careers. The money raised from ticket sales will go to the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative, which provides family support services to Ward 8 residents.
“It truly pains me to know that the murder of Blake will leave a void in the Bozeman family that will never be replaced,” said American head coach Duane Simpkins, who was a good friend of Blake’s father and grew up in Southeast D.C.
“The issue of gun violence … this is not an issue that’s singular, it’s not one person that’s going to solve the problem or two — it’s going to be a collective effort,” Simpkins said.
“We wanted to make a statement to bring awareness to this issue and to make people understand and focus on the idea that we’re all in this together,” said Howard athletic director Kery Davis.
