By Elizabeth Dudek

They gathered to reflect on the past, but vowed to focus on the future.

With poignant prayers and heartfelt speeches, students and community members gathered to remember minority police officers and fire fighters killed during the September 11 attacks.

About 50 people gathered at the John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute Saturday for the third annual Roxbury September 11 tribute and memorial service. African-American leaders in the community said they are working to recognize those who were killed and dispatched to Ground Zero during and after the attacks.

Boston firefighter Lawrence Crosby recalled his feelings for the New York firefighters and police on September 11.

“The emotions are up and down,” said Crosby, who works with fire prevention at the Boston Fire Department. “We are very proud of what they did, but the pain is still with us all.”

Intertwined with speeches and remarks were numerous musical selections performed by Velma Dupont, Frank Wilkins and the Young Men and Women of Zion Choir. The service also contained poetry readings and a liturgical dance performed by Karol McIlavine.

The Vulcan Society, a fraternal organization that works alongside minority firefighters across the country, has been working to recognize and remember those lost on September 11.

“There is still a lot of discrimination in the system. We’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go,” said Karen Miller, president of the Boston Vulcan Society. “There were a lot of African-American/Latino officers and firefighters who died and were not recognized.”

Miller said the purpose of the service was “to honor the memory of those who were lost and to say ‘thank you’ to the firefighters here in Boston.

“They do a tremendous job so we want to make sure to pay tribute and recognize them.”

Other causes than just remembrance of September 11 were discussed.

“This is not only to address 9/11. This is also to address the 9/11s in the community,” said Haywood Fennel, founder of the Tri-ad Veterans League, one of the groups that organized the memorial event. “Love is important. This is a community event to bring people together to do some spiritual healing.”

While some focused on remembering lost ones and sending their prayers to those directly involved with September 11, Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral spoke about what can be done every day to keep the streets safe from future attacks.

“We must never forget 9/11, due to the unspeakable loss of so many innocents and heroes,” she said. “Let us pay tribute to their courage by healing our community, eliminating terror from our streets and restoring our peace from the inside out.”

She emphasized keeping guns off the streets to keep homicide rates down.

Along with violence prevention efforts, many area leaders stressed the importance of loving one another and building understanding and accepting communities.

“It’s time for the citizens of this country to learn how to live in peace. Not only with each other, but with the world,” said Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner, who represents the Dorchester, Roxbury, Fenway and South End neighborhoods. “I pray that the 5,000 people who have died, have not died in vain.”