when i go from this place
dress the porch with garlands
as you would for a wedding day my dear
pull the people from their homes
and dance in the streets
when death arrives
like a bride at the aisle
send me off in my brightest clothing
serve ice cream with rose petals to our guests
there's no reason to cry my dear
i have waited my whole life
for such a beauty to take
my breath away
when i go
let it be a celebration
for i have been here
i have lived
i have won at this game called life

~Funeral by Rupi Kaur

How do we as placemakers help cities and its people remember what we’ve forgotten and how do we not forget what we’ve remembered? With so many recent memorials, monuments, mural, flag, and statue removals across the County and around the world, it is a good time for placemakers to look candidly at what it means to discuss memory and place.  Cemeteries, as an example, are often some of the best-preserved green spaces in modern cities. Yet cultural norms in the United States prevent many of them from being used to their full potential as public spaces that fill the needs of the living while respecting the memory of the deceased. In many other places, the process of remembrance encourages ongoing use of memorial spaces, burial grounds, including celebrations, by communities, and family members of the deceased. We would like to look at these cultural examples to reexamine these spaces and their meaning.

PANELISTS

Gordon Lee, (O'ahu, Hawaii) JD, Psychologist & Public Health Practitioner Gordon Lee was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. In the fall of 1967 he went to Columbia University to study Economics. He became involved in the Asian-American movement in the spring of 1970 when students at Columbia took over Kent Hall demanding an ethnic studies program. He was active in an uptown Asian American organization fighting for squatters' rights. Subsequently, he became an attorney. In addition to his legal work, he has developed a health insurance counseling and assistance program for seniors. He wrote, directed and produced a video on Japanese internment in Hawaii during World War II. He holds a Masters in Public Health that focused on the Anti-eviction struggle in Oakland, Chinatown. 

Candice Ji, (Kirkland, Washington) Assistant Planner at M-GROUP Candice Ji is an urban planner, journalist, and creative strategist. She has a broad geographical spectrum of planning services to her credit having either studied or worked in Germany, China, Cambodia and the United States. Her stateside experience includes projects on the East Coast and the San Francisco Bay Area. These broad geographical influences have developed her open and creative approach to planning. She has a special interest in sustainable planning, inclusive planning, and public space design. Her passion is to develop more equitable, livable, and sustainable communities. 

Trinh Mai, (Orange County, California) Vietnamese American Artist Trinh Mai is a second-generation Vietnamese American visual artist who examines the refugee and immigrant experience, then and now. Through a vast breath of media, she helps tell the stories of we, the enduring People, while focusing on our witnessing of war, the wounds we’ve survived, our collective need to heal, the longsuffering hope that carries us through deep waters, and the custodial responsibility to which we are heirs. Mai's whose work is driven by innovative narratives of storytelling, her artistic creations re-imagine personal and inherited memories, family roots, and spiritual connections that alter conceptions of our identities and shared histories.

Tim Soeoren, (South Park, Seattle, Washington) Parish Collective Tim Soerens is a pastor, social entrepreneur, and co-founding director of the Parish Collective As co-director of the Parish Collective he convenes ministry leaders, teaches, and consults with organizations seeking human flourishing in particular neighborhoods while also working collaboratively across the city. Tim Soerens is a pastor, social entrepreneur, and co-founding director of the Parish Collective. His latest book is called - Everywhere You Look: Discovering the Church, Right Where You Are, looks at placemaking and community development practice focused on introducing new audiences to their local churches while helping congregations reach their sustainability goals and expand their social impact.  

Alex Sasayama, (Los Angeles, California) Neighborworks America Alex Sasayama is a relationship manager for NeighborWorks America and partners with community-based organizations on affordable housing and community development efforts throughout the country. He represents the field division on the NeighborWorks Community Stabilization Advisory Committee and is a liaison to the NeighborWorks Community Building & Engagement Program for the Western Region which covers California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and Alaska. Alex is also a volunteer with Pershing Square Renew and collaborates with government, business, and other stakeholders for the revitalization of Los Angeles' oldest park. As an Angeleno and community builder, Alex has led and assisted in the planning of cultural and community events including World Cup LA, Taste of Mexico, and Día de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever.

Madeleine Spencer, (Moderator) Co-Director Placemaking US Madeleine Spencer is a depth-psychology scholar, activist art, education and business leader.

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