Yakez “Heaven Lee” Semark stepped into the cypher of life with compassion, conviction, loyalty, and a heart of gold. He was murdered in his hometown of Evanston, Illinois, on February 9, 2018, at the age of 20.
Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in July 1997, Yakez and his mom moved to the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago when he was three years old. There they enjoyed eating pizza at local eateries and taking regular walks along the Lakefront where Yakez would ride his scooter or attempt to climb to the top of what he dubbed the “dinosaur bones” sculpture at the opening of Pratt Beach.
Yakez attended Disney Magnet School in Chicago before he and his mom moved to Evanston when he was entering the second grade. He attended Dawes Elementary School and Chute Middle School in Evanston, and graduated from Evanston Township High School (ETHS). During his time in Evanston public schools, he was known for his creativity, critical thought, humor, random acts of kindness, and commitment to helping others winning recognitions such as the Ricky Byrdsong Citizenship Award at Chute, Student of the Month at ETHS, and Most Volunteer Service Hours award as an ETHS Student Ambassador. He played soccer from the age of four through freshman year at ETHS, played the trumpet during middle school, and was involved in baseball, basketball, Tae Kwon Do and hip hop dance at different points in his life.
After high school, Yakez took several courses at Oakton Community College before pursuing full-time employment and renting his first apartment back in Rogers Park. He loved writing lyrics and poetry, creating music, taking photographs and videos, watching videos and gaming, playing soccer, eating chicken wings, adding to his shoe and hat collection, and most of all, sharing moments exploring life with his friends, his family, and his dog Dante.
At the age of 19, Yakez finally made it to the top of his beloved dinosaur bones.
At the time of his murder, Yakez had been making plans to move to California – a place where his soul always felt free to fly – to be near his grandfather. Once there, he had hoped to pursue his creative passions and find a career path that would allow him to travel the world. He encouraged others to pursue their passions, too. No matter what he faced in life, Yakez imagined a bright future for himself, full of possibilities. His soul remained free, his mind remained curious, and his heart remained gold.
Gone Too Soon
Yakez was shot multiple times during a planned robbery on the evening of February 8. He died at Evanston Hospital shortly after midnight on February 9, just five months before his 21st birthday.
Yakez was his mother’s only born child.
Like too many families in the Chicago area and across the nation, Yakez’s mom Evangeline and her husband Justin were awakened in the middle of the night by a knock on the door from the police who informed them that Yakez had been murdered. Since that night, they have focused on sharing the Stay Gold philosophy with others and building the Stay Gold Movement in Yakez’s name as they work to rebuild their lives.
Two people were arrested for first-degree murder in Yakez’s case and eventually pled guilty to lesser charges. They were sentenced to prison terms and are expected to serve 50% time plus time served. Both will be out of prison before the age of 30.
Most homicide cases in Cook County, Illinois, remain unsolved.
Staying Gold
Throughout his life, Yakez’s mother would use the “Stay Gold” phrase, with origins in The Outsiders book written by S.E. Hinton and the Robert Frost poem referenced within, to remind him that he, alone, was enough: that he was valued, he was loved, and he was the most beautiful gift to this world. She learned the mantra reading The Outsiders book as a young teen, and as a parent, she hoped the phrase might help counter some of the age-appropriate self-doubt as well as the complicated realities of anxiety and the deep emotional wounds Yakez carried from being a young Black man navigating a world that constantly sought to destroy him.
Yakez eventually shared his mother’s affinity for the “Stay Gold” phrase when he read The Outsiders and analyzed Frost’s poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” with his 7th-grade classmates at Chute Middle School in Evanston. It would be the poem that Yamila – one of his best childhood friends – would read at his Celebration of Life memorial service just eight years later, surrounded by many of the same middle school classmates. She explained to the packed room that the more their class analyzed and annotated the book and the poem, the more they all fell in love with its meaning. It was relatable to so many things in their lives, she said, and taught them about natural order, love, and to always appreciate what you have because nothing is forever. She mentioned that Yakez was especially fixated on the book because he saw the gold in everything.
The Stay Gold philosophy reinforces the notion that, no matter what you face, remember to stay true to yourself and to those who love you, shine bright because your possibilities are endless, and stay gold even when barriers get in your way and the cruel realities of the world begin to weigh heavy on your soul.
Read more about the Yakez’s Celebration of Life Service: ‘Stay Gold, Yakez’ – Evanston Lays to Rest Young ETHS Graduate – by Kelley Elwood, Evanston RoundTable
Stay Gold Movement
Throughout his short life, Yakez was like a gold star that shined brightly around everyone who knew him, guiding others with acts of love, solidarity, and kindness. This inspired the gold star in the logo for the Stay Gold Movement as a way to represent Yakez.
The Stay Gold Movement began as a way to ensure that Yakez’s story and creative vision could live on after his sudden and tragic death. In the weeks following his murder, his mother created social media pages using the handle @staygoldyakez so that his story and the impact of his murder could be shared through words, pictures and, technology – three of Yakez’s favorite things. This website is the next phase of telling Yakez’s story.
Stay Gold Movement 