Everyone knows Maria Hernandez Park in Bushwick. We love the lawn for its sunbathing spots, its sidewalks for the farmer’s market, its corners where vendors sell horchata and mango slices… But, unless you were born and raised here, you probably don’t know much about the history behind its name.

On Tuesday August 8, 1989 Maria Hernandez was dressing for work in the early morning hours when five bullets were fired through her first floor apartment at 105 Starr Street. Maria’s husband, Carlos, jumped on top of their three-year-old son at the sound. But one bullet struck Maria in the temple. She fell to the floor.

Maria and her husband were known in the community for their activism (and sometimes aggression) against drugs in their community.