LOCAL STORY CREDIT: GILES CLASEN COVID-19 CHANGES FORMAT OF ANNUAL HOMELESS PERSON’S VIGIL BY GILES CLASEN NOT A NORMAL YEAR Most years, the stairs of the Denver City and County Building create a shelter for the “We Will Remember: Homeless Persons’ Vigil;” the building’s U-shape blocking out the noises and lights of the city. Normally, the event put on every December 21 by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is attended by a few hundred individuals who stand in silence while the name of each individual who died during the year is read. But 2020 wasn’t a normal year, and the vigil was surrounded by dissonant brightness and noise because a short distance from the site, Civic Center Park was hosting the annual Christkindl Market. The Market was moved to the larger venue for 2020 to accommodate social distancing requirements. Sharing the space with the Market meant those enjoying the holiday wares were festive and upbeat, while those attending the vigil mourned. Still, the reverence for the people Denver lost was front and center. REMEMBERING EACH ONE “It is so important to remember each individual,” said Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy CREDIT: GILES CLASEN officer for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. “Many of these individuals aren’t connected to family and generally don’t have funerals. Sometimes they can feel forgotten. We think it is really important to honor each person that passes and make sure that we’re acknowledging the risks people experience when they’re forced to sleep outside.” To ensure safety and compliance with COVID 19 restrictions, the Coalition changed the structure of the 2020 event. Instead of a group gathering in one space, the vigil was streamlined, so participants could pass through the space individually, safely socially distanced from others. Rather than read the names of the more than 220 people who died, each name was printed on a lantern. The sidewalks were lined with rows of names, giving a visual sense of how many of those living in homelessness were lost. Among them was Dwayne Pride, a beloved Denver VOICE vendor. PRIDE MEMORIALIZED Pride was a gentle man and very kind. An important part of the community, he lived a humble life. Pride died after being found sick on a bus while traveling to Detroit in 6 DENVER VOICE February 2021
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