Dajae Coleman never got to go to homecoming, never got to lace up for an ETHS basketball game and never got to attend a formal dance. At the innocent age of 14, he was gunned down a block outside the school, leaving his family, his school and his town in utter disbelief.

Starting tomorrow, the Dajae Coleman Foundation will host a commemorative weekend festival, marking this Monday’s second anniversary of the tragic shooting that ended DaeDae’s life.

The weekend will begin with a Family Fun Night, taking place at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center. The night will be have a live DJ, skating, arts and crafts, and food. It begins Friday at 7 p.m..

The festivities are aimed to raise money for the foundation, a non-profit, community organization dedicated to uplifting and empowering Evanston’s youth. The foundation has set a goal to reach $10,000 and is over halfway there.

On Saturday, the festival will transition into a family fitness-oriented event. Activities will begin in the morning and include a Zumba class, yoga and even core training.

At 11 a.m. that day, they will host “The Challenge: Evanston”, a spin off of the MTV reality show that plans to engage kids in friendly competition. The challenge includes a three-legged race, a treasure hunt and much more.

The weekend culminates with a basketball game in Dajae’s honor. The game tips off at 3 p.m. and will include raffles and a performance from our cheerleading team.

We must never forget Dajae’s memory, and always continue to move forward from the tragedy of the past.