YOUNGSTOWN - R. E. S. P. E. C. T.  Day offered food, fun, music, and games at the Penguin City Brewing Company.

 

The event to honor the life of William "Shimmie" Miller. 

 

Shimmie, as friends know him, promoted and taught non-violence in his programs through The R.E.S.P.E.C.T. foundation, and the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Basketball League at the YMCA.

 

 "He was an amazing community partner with SERV. He worked with us for years. He ran our mentoring and village program mentoring young kids who have risk factors, and challenges in their lives, and he wanted to make sure those challenges didn't dictate where they can go in life," Community Initiative to Reduce Violence, or C.I.R.V. Coordinator William "Guy" Burney said. 

 

 Mr. Miller's book "Ready Rock Boy the Birth of Destruction" was publicly released.

 

In the book, he explained the choices that put him on a path to prison.

 

Once he got out he was determined to help others choose a better path for themselves. Community leaders tell us Shimmie wrapped his arms around kids, teens, and young adults, changing hearts and lives. 

 

 One hundred percent. He became like their uncle, their father, whatever it was, he stepped right in the4re to fill those shoes, to make sure they weren't going to take the path he took when he was young," Chairman of the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Foundation Kelan Bilal said. 

 

William "Shimmie" Miller passed away in June 2024. 

 

The murder of this anti-violence activist before he turned 50  has left a void in Youngstown. Community leaders are working to continue his programs so his legacy lives on, Shimmy's message is a lesson for all of us.

 

He corrected his decisions and made sure that he told the youth, the children, and the city, that even if you have necessarily had a bad start or start you don't want, it's never too late to change your life. That's the impact he had throughout the community, and throughout the YMCA, Executive Director of the YMCA Daundray Brown said.