Wallace's family and friends celebrate "Raymond C. Wallace, Jr." corner. The late anti-violence community leader Raymond Wallace’s legacy lives on — not just through his nonprofit Guns Down Books Up, but also in a recently renamed corner by Jocelyn Square Park.That corner, at Humphrey Street and East Street, is now named Raymond C Wallace Jr Corner.The Board of Alders approved the corner renaming on Dec. 2, honoring Wallace — who died last April at the age of 58 — ​“for his selfless acts of kindness and contributions to residents in the Fair Haven/Mill River neighborhood.”According to Wallace’s older sister, Hope Howard, on Jan. 3, roughly 75 family members, friends, and people who mentored and were mentored by Wallace gathered at the corner for the official installation of the street sign bearing his name.“It’s past important,” Howard said about what the renamed corner means to her. “It’s so monumental to me to know that that area right there, that corner, that park that was something special to my brother’s heart, to have that corner named after him — it’s like saying: ​‘Brother, we got you. We’re going to continue that work right there on that corner. We will forever be so grateful to you.”Wallace organized book giveaways and street cleanups and cookouts and basketball tournaments — including at Jocelyn Square Park. He also ran for alder, and mentored countless youth along the way through his nonprofit Guns Down, Books Up. Click here to read more about him and his community work.Howard stressed that she and her family chose that corner to be renamed for Wallace ​“because the park was very sentimental to him because of the functions he would have periodically there” through the organization Guns Down Books Up, which was founded by his mom and which he later ran.“It was very emotional for all of us, especially our mother,” she said about the Jan. 3 corner renaming ceremony. ​“I don’t think we could contain ourselves. But we got ourselves together” — to share prayers and memories about Wallace, and to look up and see that his name is now officially part of that corner.See below for the full order of the Board of Alders designating the corner of Humphrey and East as Raymond C. Wallace, Jr. Corner.WHEREAS, Raymond C. Wallace, Jr. was a New Haven native for over fifty (50) years;WHEREAS, while incarcerated he received his CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) license, and G.E.D. (General Education Diploma);WHEREAS, he realized his supportive family was something fellow inmates often did not have;WHEREAS, this realization of a grounding and support system that others in the community were in need of was the beginning of his one man philanthropic, behind the scenes campaign to do good;WHEREAS, giving out of his own pocket, with a sense of decency and drive, with little concern for getting credit;WHEREAS, he turned his life around;WHEREAS, in 2004 with his mother founded the nonprofit ​“Guns Down Books Up” organization;WHEREAS, after working in the New Haven School system for many years;WHEREAS, in 2018 formed the Young Kings Brotherhood and Mentoring Program, preparing young men for a successful future;WHEREAS, devoted to helping the community hosted back to school events, supplying necessities, donating books, basketball tournaments, street cleanups, food distributions for the homeless;WHEREAS, assisting the elderly with landscaping work, participation at the Bella Vista Center during holidays; andWHEREAS, he received many awards and accolades for his services.NOW, THEREFORE, BEITORDERED by the New Haven Board of Alders that in memory of Raymond C. Wallace, Jr., the corner of East Street and Humphrey Street be designated as ​“Raymond C. Wallace, Jr. Corner” as an official and permanent reminder.BEITFURTHERORDERED that the Department of Transportation, Traffic, and Parking is hereby directed and authorized to implement this Order.Wallace in the Hill with two of the youngest members of Guns Down, Books Up.