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Wednesday, January 16, 2019, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
From a January 10, 2019 WHEEL email:
"Dear Friends of WHEEL/Women in Black:Yesterday the Seattle Times published a story—without mentioning the work of WHEEL, Women in Black or the Homeless Remembrance Project—that acknowledged what we cried out about throughout 2018: the number of deaths of homeless people in our community has been rising, is significantly record-breaking, and is an incontrovertible sign of a painfully deepening housing crisis.
There’ll be one more reckoning, but the Women in Black count of 2018 outdoor/violent homeless deaths in King County now stands at 118, of 191 homeless deaths altogether. Fifteen suicides. Eleven homicides. Four hypothermia deaths. The misery continues, and the Seattle/King County response remains woefully inadequate to this grinding, growing need.
We’ll stand vigil from noon to 1 PM next Wednesday, January 16th, outside the Seattle Justice Center (5th/Cherry) to honor and remember:
**Farhan Karshe, 36, who died outside the Recovery Café on 12/19; cause pending.
**Taylor Goehring, 24, a woman who died of multiple blunt force injuries (hit by car?) in Renton on 12/19.
**Thomas Papageorge, 61, who died in the 3600 block of Thorndyke on 12/21; cause pending.
**Matthew Devasure, 40, who died in/near the Fred Meyer at 100 NW 85th on 12/21; cause pending.
This vigil will be dedicated to the memory of Roxane Roberts, beloved and powerful WHEEL member and poet/writer, who died recently after a long health struggle. We also will be remembering and honoring the 7-month-old who died of SIDS while homeless earlier this year.
PLEASE JOIN US!
WHEEL/Women in Black
(206) 956-0334
PS We’re thankful so many supporters and friends joined us on the Winter Solstice for our candlelight vigil and ritual. We were blessed by the faith community’s embrace, with participation by Rev. Rick Reynolds of Operation Nightwatch, Patrick Barredo of St. James Cathedral, Father Jeff Gill of Trinity Episcopal, Pastor Kelle Brown of Plymouth Church, Rev. Pat Simpson of U Temple UMC, Rev. Marilyn Cornwell, and Michael Ramos, Executive Director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle. We’re beyond grateful for the partnership and compassionate leadership of King County’s Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Richard Harruff.
Our friend Carl was called to create a banner for the vigil, with a carefully handwritten list of the names and ages of all of our homeless brothers and sisters who’ve died outside of shelter or by violence this year. What a powerful witness! Even in the holiday chaos of Westlake Park, many people stopped to read those names, one by one. One man learned on-the-spot that his friend had died while homeless earlier this year. He was devastated, but members of our community were able to hold our arms around him in his grief, light a candle with him, and say a few words of comfort.
This was our closing message at the Tree of Life, and is our affirmation and wish for the New Year: “We are one community. All kinds of people, all kinds of circumstances—we share the turning seasons, the sorrow of the dying. May we seek peace for those who have died, and for those who continue to live without a home to call their own. May we also be blessed with hope, so that in the growing light of the days to come we will have strength to build a kinder world together.”
A photo gallery from our Solstice Vigil is linked here on our Homeless Remembrance Project Facebook site: Women in Black Solstice 2018"