Our mission.
Our mission is to amplify the story of Brian Deneke to inspire individuals, organizations, and communities to embrace the differences and uniqueness of all people. Our hope is to help put an end to discrimination and to promote social justice. Through public art projects and scholarship opportunities, we aspire to support both artists and young adults who seek to eliminate prejudice in an effort to create a path toward a more inclusive and accepting future.
Who was
Brian Deneke?
On December 12, 1997, 19-year-old punk musician, Brian Deneke was murdered in a deliberate hit-and-run attack by a 17-year-old local football player in Amarillo Texas. According to Wikipedia and the film Bomb City, Deneke was remembered by his friends as being friendly, charismatic, and a leader in the local punk community. Nicknamed "Sunshine", Deneke had a spiked mohawk hairstyle and often wore a black leather jacket with a studded leather collar and sported homemade tattoos.
Like other punks in Amarillo, Deneke had suffered frequent harassment and bullying. His parents were against their son's lifestyle because they feared possible prejudice from people in Amarillo.
Deneke’s murder and the outcome of the trial galvanized the punk community and raised accusations about the social tolerance of the Texas city and the legal system. Because Brian’s murderer was controversially only found guilty of voluntary vehicular manslaughter and only sentenced to ten years probation and a $10,000 fine, the fine was later dropped.
I would encourage anyone interested in learning more about Brian’s story to watch the film, Bomb City directed by Jameson Brooks and co-written by Jameson Brooks and Sheldon R. Chick.
