A project that seeks to create a permanent, national memorial that honors the lives and narratives of victims of gun violence

CINCINNATI – The City of Cincinnati’s Office of Human Relations, in collaboration with Everytown For Gun Safety, and the Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC) invites you to participate in the Gun Violence Memorial Project’s Object Collection event. If you’ve lost a family member or loved one to gun violence, we invite you to take part in this memorial by contributing a Remembrance Object to honor your loved one.

Participating families will donate mementos of their loved ones who were victims of gun violence. These keepsakes will be placed in a glass house memorial at the Building Museum in Washington, D.C. until September 25, 2022, and be on display at all locations thereafter. Participants can also lend the Remembrance Object to the project, and it will be returned after the September 25, 2022, closing. Objects in the display often include photographs, baby shoes, graduation tassels, baseball caps, figurines, and other artifacts.

 There are two recreation center locations that are accepting Remembrance Objects: 

• Friday, October 22, from 3:00-7:00 p.m.

Lincoln Recreation Center

1027 Linn Street, West End, OH 45203 and

• Saturday, October 23, from 12:00-4:00 p.m.

Hirsch Recreation Center

3630 Reading Road, Avondale, OH 45229

Gun violence has claimed the lives of countless individuals in Cincinnati this year, leaving families and entire communities traumatized by the loss. By sharing a Remembrance Object that honors someone you love, together we can highlight the human toll of gun violence and inspire visitors to connect with the individual stories.

“We think it’s important to put an emphasis on the violence epidemic in hopes that it may help bring about the resolve to do something about it,” stated Paul M. Booth, Division Manager, Cincinnati Office of Human Relations. “Through the collaboration with the Recreation Commission we can ensure that people have access to a safe place to share a piece of their loved one with others who are struggling. Losing a loved one is a pain and trauma that never goes away. We feel this event is more important than ever now that so many of our community members are dying from gunfire,” Booth explained.

Pastor Jackie L. Jackson, Survivor Outreach Lead, Everytown Survivor Network, says the project is a means for families to honor their murdered loved ones and to draw attention on this national epidemic. “I can only describe the National Gun Violence Memorial Project as a bittersweet necessity to bring awareness to the trauma, hurt, and pain that families, and communities experience on a daily basis, while honoring the lives of their loved ones taken by unnecessary gun violence,” Pastor Jackson stated.

Daniel Betts, Cincinnati Recreation Director, was intrigued by the concept and wanted to ensure that CRC was a part of the worthy project. He said that “CRC is committed to supporting and protecting children, youth and families who have experienced gun violence and strongly believe that by partnering with the Office of Human Relations on the Gun Violence Memorial Project we can reduce the number of families that experience this trauma. We can also support families who require a safe place to honor their loved ones whose lives ended by gun violence,” Betts emphasized.

The Gun Violence Memorial Project is led by architecture firm MASS Design Group and artist Hank Willis in partnership with Purpose Over Pain and Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. It is a tribute to the thousands of lives ended by gun violence in the nation.

Click here to download the flyer.