As a digital and public historian, I really fascinated by how and where everyday people choose to mark their collective memories. Traditional halls of power like commission meetings and city halls wield certain levers that allow them to choose the monuments, fund the museums, and rename the streets. But what if you don’t sit on a city commission? What if you feel the urge to act out of immense urgency?
This is where members of the public act, as they can and as they feel they must. A recent tragedy made this all the more relevant to me.
As a person that calls Miami home, I was devastated to hear about the Champlain Towers collapse. While I did not directly know any of the people who sadly lost their lives, I still ached knowing that in many ways, this could have easily been any of us, and this calamity should never have happened. As luck would have it, I was contacted by Leo Soto @livitupleo, organizer of the loved ones’ memorial efforts. I told him best I could do is digitally scan the wall, so it could live on, at least virtually. I hope the families find this small gesture my way of helping and giving back.
Explore this virtual memorial below.
-DRDH