Naming the Lost Memorials, in partnership with The Green-Wood Cemetery, are proud to announce the creation of a temporary interactive memorial to honor the lives of almost 600,000 people in the United States, including more than 52,000 here in New York City, who died during the CoViD-19 pandemic.
Over 20 community partner organizations, including the Bronx Documentary Center, are helping make a large, inclusive memorial. From June 08, 2021 through 28, 2021, We Remember: A Community CoViD-19 Memorial will stretch for 200 feet on Green-Wood’s historic wrought-iron fence along Fifth Avenue at 25th Street in Brooklyn. The memorial will consist of thousands of nameplates with personalized drawings and photos created by the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones to the virus. During this time, the public is encouraged to create and add their own nameplates to the memorial.
Since May 2020, Naming the Lost Memorials , a small team of volunteer artists, activists, and folklorists, has been curating memorial sites in New York City to name and remember victims of the CoViD-19 pandemic. We Remember: A Community Covid Memorial will be dedicated and activated on Tuesday, June 08, 2021 (June 09, 2021, rain date) from 06:00 p.m. – 09:00 p.m. The participatory ceremony features song, movement, invocation, prayer, and a simple candle ritual allowing us to call out the names of the dead.
Public Dedication and Activation Ceremony:
- June 08 2021, 06:00 p.m. – 09:00 p.m. (rain date June 09, 2021) at Green-Wood Cemetery (inside the main gate 5th Avenue / 25th Street, Brooklyn);
- 06:00 p.m. – 07:00 p.m. –Gathering, Drum Call, Poetry, Procession, Creation of Name plates;
- 07:00 p.m. – 08:00 p.m. — Dedication & Activation Ceremony with invocation, libation, candle ceremony, song, and movement 08:00 p.m. – 09:00 p.m. — Evening lullabies, making name plates to add to WE REMEMBER and placing candles on the altar.
Featuring performance and offerings by: La Troupe Makandal, Aeilushi Mistry, Winston “Jeggae” Hoppie, Mazarte & the Villalobos Brothers, Judith Berkson, Monica Hope & Kelvyn Bell, Dr. Drum, City Lore’s POEMobile and Brooklyn Roots Lullaby Project.
The memorial will remain up, active, and available for adding names until Monday, June 28, 2021.
Image caption: First memorial at Green-wood in May 2020, as the pandemic was intensifying © Erik McGregor / City Lore
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Bronx Documentary Center
614 Courtland Avenue
Bronx, NY 10451
Tel.: 718-993-3512
E–mail: info@bronxdoc.org
