On December 21st -the first day of winter and the longest night of the year- we remember those we've lost in our community due to homelessness. December 21st is recognized in cities and towns across the nation as Homeless Persons' Memorial Day. It is a time to remember those we've lost and to reflect on the work we can do as a community to end this great injustice.
Baltimore mourns the loss of 104 people this year whose lives were cut short by the horrific conditions of homelessness. Tragically, this number -already far too high- only counts those who were connected to local services and whose names were made known to the organizers of Homeless Persons' Memorial Day. These people were just like any of us -human-beings with feelings and dreams, friends and family. That they suffered such pain, such unimaginable alienation from their community, is a shameful indicator of the inhumanity of our time.
Let this day mark the beginning of a new era. May we come together and treat each other with the same love and compassion we wish to receive ourselves. No human-being deserves to suffer from sickness or poverty alone; together, we can create a world where no one has to.
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