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Faces of
the Fallen Vigil
May 20, 2004
 Today,
representatives of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign from
across the United States gathered in front of United Nations with photographs
of loved ones who have had died or are not surviving the policies of this
administration. With this vigil, the Campaign anounced a national effort
to document the stories and faces of those that have fallen in the domestic
war at home.
We are determined to give names
and faces to the human beings who are suffering and dying in this
war, and to document and to show to the world the deadly human rights
violations that are occurring in the United States under the current administration.
The first speaker was Ronald
Casanova, a well-known longtime New York City homeless leader who has
dedicated his life to organizing fellow poor and homeless families and
to speaking out about conditions in this country. Casanova is known nationally
for his role in leading the encampments of the homeless at Tompkins Square
Park in New York City in the 1980's and later for being a founder and
leader of the National Union of Homeless and numerous other New York City
and national organizations of homeless people, of artists and of poor
people suffering from AIDS. Casanova told his story of being an impoverished
and homeless man suffering and dying from AIDS in New York City.
Next, Jen Cox of the KWRU told
the story of her close friend and God-brother, Sherwood
Baker, a 30-year old husband and father of a nine year old son from
Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, who was killed in Iraq in April. Sherwood
was a National Guard member who had joined to help his community and to
meet his family's basic needs such as food, housing and health care, and
to pay for his education, needs that he could not afford to meet with
just his full-time job as a child care provider. It was the denial of
the basic human rights to health care, a living wage job and an education
here in the United States, as well as the immoral policies of this administration,
that sent Sherwood to his death in the war in Iraq.
The Vigil continued as members
of the Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign shared more
stories of fallen fighters.
Michael
Valent whose story was told by Bonnie Macri of JEDI for Women.
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Sarah Freni-Rothschild whose story
was told by Galen Tyler of the Kensington Welfare rights Union |
John Joseph McKelvey whose
story was told by his daughter Heather McKelvy of the Kensington Welfare
Rights Union. |
Rosemary Cole who story
was told by Laura Rodgers of Poor Voices United. |
Rene Maxwell whose story was told by a
member of the Coalition to Protect Public Housing |
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 In
the evening, we were joined by singer-songwriter Judy Gorman who sang
during a fundraiser for the March for Our Lives at the Low Bar in New
York City. Artists from the Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign,
including Ronald Casanova, shared their art as well.
Join us on June 24 for the
next Vigil.
Faces
of the Fallen Vigils
Thursday, 4:00 PM
Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
46th Street and 1st Ave
New York City
May 20, June 24, July 15, August 19
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