In the Heart of Harlem, a Tree Grows for Elijah.
- Elijah-Alavi Foundation
- May 30
- 3 min read
You see this little tree here?
At first glance, it may look like any young tree growing in a city park, modest, a bit bare in the early days, surrounded by a small circle of soil and promise. But this tree... this one holds a story.
Back in November 2018, in the crisp bite of the fall air, Elijah-Alavi’s mother Dina, Sebastin, and I stood side by side with Assemblyman Al Taylor and Senator Brian Benjamin, surrounded by family, friends, and a community of hearts gathered in unity and remembrance. That day, a tree was planted in Jackie Robinson Park in Harlem, right off Bradhurst Avenue,149st and dedicated to our son, Elijah-Alavi Silvera. Many came, some we knew, some we didn’t. All stood still as the tree took root. There were tears in eyes, yes, but also warmth. There was grief, but there was also love. People came not just to witness, but to feel, to honor a life that, though short, has left an everlasting mark.
Elijah was just three years old when he passed away in 2017 due to a preventable allergic reaction at a childcare center, a place that was supposed to protect him. That moment changed everything. It gave rise to a movement. It gave purpose to a mission. The following year, on a cold day in November 2018, a living memorial was planted in his honor. A tree. It started out small, fragile like the moment itself, just a slender trunk and a few brave leaves reaching for light through the chill.
But just like Elijah’s legacy, the tree held a quiet strength,. a strength born not just from soil, but from love, sorrow, and purpose. Though it began as a fragile sapling, exposed to the elements and the weight of all it symbolized, it remained steadfast. With each passing season, through harsh winters and hopeful springs, it stretches upward toward the sky as if echoing the very legacy it was planted to honor.
Today, May, 2025, Elijah’s tree stands taller, stronger, and full of life. Its branches stretch with grace. This tree does more than grow. It reflects. It reminds. It thrives, just as our mission thrives, to protect everyone with food allergies through awareness, education, training, community, and relentless advocacy. What began as a moment of unimaginable grief has become a national movement, with Elijah’s Law now enacted in multiple states across the country. Each leaf, each limb, each breath of wind through its canopy carries a message: Elijah and his echo is not forgotten. His legacy lives in the lives being protected today.
And right in front of that tree sits a bench, Elijah’s Bench, with a plaque that reads:
“Make a hand, make a hug, make a kiss.”
A simple phrase that echos and reflects everything about Elijah-Alavi, his warmth, his spirit, and the love we continue to carry forward in his name.
So if you ever find yourself in Harlem, take a moment. Walk through Jackie Robinson Park. Follow the winding paths and gentle sounds of the neighborhood until you reach 149th Street and Bradhurst Avenue. There, just outside beyond the playground, you’ll find a quiet space where love was planted and where memory took root. Sit for a while on Elijah’s bench. Read his name. Let the breeze pass over you. Watch the sun filter through the leaves of a tree that now stretches tall toward the sky. A tree that once stood small and uncertain but now stands strong, full of life and purpose. A tree that holds the weight of a community’s grief and the hope of a safer future for all children. This tree is more than bark and branches. It is Elijah’s echo. It is a living promise that his life mattered, that his story continues, and that no child should ever be lost to something we have the power to prevent.
So say hello. Take in the shade. Feel the presence. And know that here, in the heart of Harlem, something sacred grows. That little tree Look how tall and beautiful it has grown. And it’s still growing with every step we take in his name.
With love, remembrance, and purpose,
Thomas Silvera
Co-Founder, Elijah-Alavi Foundation
Father to Elijah-Alavi Silvera