We Remember You: 2021 Homeless Memorial
On Tuesday, December 21st - the longest night of the year - NEOCH gathered with local advocates and community members to remember those with lived experience of homelessness who passed away in 2021. The annual memorial celebrations took place outside one of Cleveland’s winter warming centers, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, and included a reading of over 50 names, accompanied by candles and flowers to commemorate those who died.
We continue to remember the people past and present who have suffered the trauma of homelessness because we must be reminded of the consequences of poverty, systemic racism, and other root causes. By speaking their names, we shine a light on the oppression that strips people of their dignity and power, and at the same time we work to repair this damage by loving their presence and honoring their memory.
We remember you, and we will not forget how necessary each one of us are to ending homelessness.