ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Community members and activists joined together on Jefferson and McCree Way on Saturday for Daniel’s Day, a day of action and remembrance. 

Activists and mental health professionals are proposing "Daniel's Law," allowing mental health professionals to respond to mental health and substance abuse emergencies, instead of police officers. 

The bill was introduced after Daniel Prude’s encounter with Rochester police while experiencing a mental health crisis in March 2020. Days later he was pronounced dead after being taken off of life support. Prude's death was ruled a homicide.

"I hope this will prompt people to really think about what they hope community safety could be like without police," Feed the People ROC organizer Halima Aweis said.

“If that law [is] passed, they are in good hands," Daniel Prude's brother Joe Prude said. "We don’t [have] to worry about no one else’s family member leaving them or a child losing their life.”

“At this event we are honoring Daniel Prude," Aweis said. "We are hoping to celebrate his life, celebrate the change he has sparked in our community, there’s been a movement.”

“It’s been two years and I still ain’t digest it," Joe Prude said. "You know what I mean, I don’t think I ever will.”

“Through this event, through providing awareness for Daniel Prude, through Daniel’s Law that we are able to bring Black mental health to the forefront of the conversation," Aweis said.

Several organizations showed their support by offering their services.

"I stop going to the streets, resulting to the streets before I met Teen Empowerment,” Teen Empowerment member Cierra Cooper said. "So that’s why it’s so important to have this in this community and to know that we have support here too."

Activists are sending a message to the next generation in hopes that by hearing Daniel's story, young people can also bring about change in their communities.

"I got family members dying, I ain’t got time for this mess," Elijah Sweetmore, 12, said. "So all I got to say is stop the violence or if you all can’t stop the violence, violence going to stop you all and you are going to wind up killing yourself.”

Those closest to Daniel are sending a message as well.

“My pain is real and I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy," his brother said. "I wouldn’t wish this on nobody's family. Take from what I’m dealing with and re-evaluate yourself.”