File photo
A 2021 vigil honoring Camryn "Mooka" Gayle at the corner now named after her.
“I told you, I told you,” cried Elizabeth Robinson. “I wasn’t gonna give up.”
She was talking to the memory of her 17-year-old daughter, Camryn “Mooka” Gayle, about the Newhallville intersection where Gayle died in a car crash in 2021.
Thanks to a Board of Alders vote Monday night, that intersection is now officially designated “Camryn’s Corner.”
Alders unanimously voted to name the intersection of Sherman Parkway and Harding Place “Camryn’s Corner” during their latest meeting in the Aldermanic Chamber on the second floor City Hall.
The decision culminated a petition from Gayle’s loved ones to permanently mark the site of the crash, where they’ve gathered every year to honor her memory.
“It means a lot,” Robinson said through tears after the meeting.
She was joined at Monday’s meeting by Shyan Dawson, one of Gayle’s closest friends, who had been in the passenger seat of the car on the night it crashed into a tree. While Gayle succumbed to her injuries, Dawson survived.
The pair had dreamed of starting their own childcare business together. Dawson, who now works at the afterschool organization LEAP, has remained determined to keep her friend’s memory alive.
Laura Glesby Photo
Shyan Dawson: "We want to keep her name loud."
Dawson is part of a close-knit group of Gayle’s loved ones who call themselves “RMG,” for “Real Mooka Gang.” The group has hosted regular events in Gayle’s honor, ranging from vigils to block parties.
This year, Dawson said, RMG members are traveling to Miami in honor of Gayle’s birthday, as Gayle had wanted to go there herself.
“We want to keep her name loud,” Dawson said. “She’s a loud, fun girl.”
Gayle was a senior at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School, where she studied dance. She was also a cheerleader at Hillhouse and a praise dancer at Thomas Chapel Church. Her loved ones have consistently spoken of Gayle’s lively energy, honest wit, and profound loyalty to her friends.
Contributed by Shyan Dawson
Gayle's loved ones have stuck together to honor her memory.
East Rock Alder Anna Festa, who chairs the City Services and Environmental Policy Committee, advocated on Monday for the corner naming to honor Gayle’s “vibrant spirit,” “outgoing personality,” and “genuine love and care.”
Gayle was “a vibrant young woman,” echoed Dixwell/Newhallville Alder Troy Streater.
While the corner naming will carry profound meaning, Gayle’s loved ones are also advocating for safer driving conditions in the city.
“When I drive by” the Sherman-Harding intersection, “I get sadness in my stomach,” said Dawson’s aunt, Roxanne McCabe, who also attended the alder meeting.
“I wish it weren’t so dark over there,” echoed Dawson.
“It’s bigger than just the sign. It’s about safety as well,” McCabe said.
The corner has been named, but the group’s advocacy in Gayle’s name isn’t over.