On Saturday, November 20, JDRF joined city officials, family, friends and fans of the late Malik Phife Dawg Taylor to honor him during a street naming ceremony in his hometown of Jamaica, New York, at Linden Boulevard & 192^nd Street.

The event was attended by Senator Leroy Comrie (New York City, District 14), Queens Borough President Melinda Katz,  Mayor de Blasio Representative, A Tribe Called Quest members Q-Tip and  Jairobi, and Busta Rhymes. 

JDRF was honored to have JDRF New York City Chapter Board Member Joseph M. Mure, Jr. make remarks during the ceremony that honored Malik, and also underscored the importance of raising awareness of type 1 diabetes.

JDRF continues to work with Malik’s wife and mother to help educate the community about T1D and it’s impact on millions.

For the rest of our lives, this will be marked as the week that Malik, a dedicated son, husband, father and lyricist entered the world and left it. This year we join the City in celebrating his life, but we also join forces with JDRF in raising awareness for type 1 diabetes, the disease that ultimately took his life. During National Diabetes Awareness Month we want to use Malik’s struggle and battle with this disease’s complications as a vehicle to address the misconceptions and lack of education around this disease especially in communities of color. – Deisha Taylor, wife of Malik Phife Dawg Taylor.

Check out coverage of the day on JDRF’s Instagram #T1DayintheLife and let us know what the #funkydiabetic meant to you.