City of Southfield hosts St. David’s Episcopal Church’s “Remember Them” installation at municipal campus
November 14, 2022
Interactive Memorial of Violence Against People of Color for Reflection and Change on display from September 23 until November 23
The city of Southfield will display St. David's Episcopal Church’s “Remember Them: Interactive Memorial of Violence Against People of Color for Reflection and Change” outdoors at the Southfield Municipal Campus near the Southfield Public Library, 26000 Evergreen Road.
The Remember Them memorial, aimed at raising awareness and inspiring action to further racial and social justice, will open with a dedication ceremony on Friday, September 23 at 11 a.m. and will be on display until November 23.
"Too many African Americans have suffered for too long," commented Mayor Dr. Ken Siver. "We cannot stand by in silence as people of color continue to suffer under unjust systems of justice, economics, education, and housing. While we are very thankful that these heinous acts have not been committed in Southfield, this interactive installation is designed to remind us of the injustices of the past while inspiring collective action to bring racial equality to our nation."
Remember Them includes headstones of well-known, and not so well-known victims of racial violence and injustice, including George Floyd, Medgar Evers, Sandra Bland, and Breonna Taylor. The installation also includes a 100-page book, published especially for the occasion, with one page devoted to each victim to help visitors understand the stories behind the names. Copies of the book will be available to view in the Southfield Public Library and Parks & Recreation Building as well as through the link below.
"We hope everyone in Metro Detroit will come out and spend some time here, to learn and contemplate our past and our future," added Fr. Chris Yaw, one of the installation’s organizers.
The installation is open every day from dawn until dusk until November 23. For more information, contact the Mayor’s Office at (248) 796-5100 or visit www.cityofsouthfield.com.
About St. David’s Episcopal Church
St. David’s Episcopal Church has been serving the people of metro Detroit since March 2, 1952. Parishioners first met in a Berkley school gymnasium, then moved to the current location in Southfield in 1956. Sunday services are currently held in-person and online via Zoom and Facebook at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. St. David’s has a food pantry program, which is open to all on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. - noon. Parishioners serve meals at Crossroads Soup Kitchen in Detroit, regularly send medical personnel to Haiti, mentor students at nearby Vandenberg World Cultures Academy, visit residents of St. Anne’s Mead Senior Community, host homeless guests through the South Oakland Shelter, and minister to the guests at the Detroit Rescue Mission. The church is located at 16200 W. Twelve Mile Road. Learn more at www.stdavidssf.org.
