Central Honors Philando began as a community response to the murder of Philando Castile in July, 2016 after a traffic stop that was the result of racial profiling. Philando was complying with the officer's request to retrieve his I.D. when he was shot 5 times. The resulting Not Guilty verdict for the Officer that killed him, Jeronimo Yanez, devastated his family, friends, fellow Central alumni and people across the world who believe that police officers should be held legally accountable for their actions.

Philando's high school classmates organize the annual community gathering to celebrate his life and to raise money for a scholarship in his honor. It is an opportunity for community-building, peaceful dialogue, and healing. It seeks to help prevent a similarly tragic injustice from happening while also ensuring that Philando’s personal legacy endures.