KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Grief for Naya Reynolds's family will last a lifetime, but it's what they’re doing with the memories, the impact, and her legacy that matters most.
Maya Davis says her daughter was known for bringing people together. She had a smile that could light up a room.
“Naya was much more than how she died. Naya was a giver; she loved people; she loved family and she prayed for people,” she said.
Davis doesn’t want people to just remember the night of Aug. 27 when her daughter was shot and killed while driving down I-94.
“The way she died was far from the way that she lived. I want people to know that, and I want people to remember Naya J. Reynolds: Naya Jazzlyn Reynolds,” Davis said. “She was a recipient of the Kalamazoo Promise. She was a recipient of scholarships, and we want to give other women those same opportunities that she was afforded.”
With the idea stemming from Kalamazoo Central High School, Naya’s family decided to start the Forever 22 Naya J. Reynolds Memorial Scholarship. It’s designed for women like Reynolds who value education and want to succeed.
“If we keep that, if we keep who she was alive, then it's like we have a piece of her with us still,” said her cousin, Dante Hudson.
Hudson works for the Kalamazoo Promise, which pays for 100% tuition. He says although the memorial scholarship is only $1,000, it could go a long way to help with books and housing.
The recipient will be selected on June 14. For more information, click here.
READ MORE: Family remembers Naya Reynolds: bright future cut short
