BALTIMORE — A scholarship will soon be created in honor of 21-year-old Destiny Harrison, a mother and business owner who was shot and killed while working in her hair salon last December.
RELATED: Court documents reveal salon owner Destiny Harrison feared for safety before her murder
City councilman Zeke Cohen collaborated with Harrison’s family to create what will be known as the “Destiny Dream Scholarship” named after Harrison and her daughter.
Cohen says the scholarship will help five girls every year start their careers as hair stylists. The fund will pay for girls from Mervo High School to get their licensing exams, cosmetology kit and more.
He says the cost to get those items could total $1,000, which items the girls would need to graduate.
“We know that for a lot of our children, it can be cost-prohibitive to become a beautician,” Cohen said. “We know that Destiny would have wanted to support the well-being other young women to become successful.”
Cohen says his office and the community, including barbers and beauticians across the city, will be pitching in to get the scholarship off the ground.
He says the goal is $5,000.
“We believe we are going to transform the pain our community feels into something powerful,” he said.
Jennifer Ridley, Harrison’s Aunt, says her niece taught classes, helping aspiring beauticians. She says Harrison had a big heart and loved giving back.
"She's still helping and she's not even here,” Ridley said.
And even though she’s gone, Ridley says the scholarship is something that will help legacy live on.
"It's wonderful,” she said. “Because it's not everyday you have a tragedy and something so wonderful can come out of a tragedy like giving to young children that's up and coming.”
The scholarship is expected to launch March 8th, which is when young women can start applying.
No arrests have been made in this case. If you have any information, you're asked to contact police.
Donations to Destiny's Dream Scholarship can be made at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/desdresch
