Dr Honor Ford Smith is concerned that murals commemorating the deaths of youths in Kingston are being systematically over-painted as part of a clean-up campaign. She views it as an insensitive and brutal act especially since many are beautifully painted. Her website Forever Missed is keeping track of these images before they disappear. Many of us drive by these portraits with glazed eyes daily, not recognizing that like gravestones, these murals give voice to the grief of members of our community. Many of these images portray youths who have been lost to violence but more often these paintings appear when the neighbourhood feels there has been an injustice. Whatever the circumstance, erasing these images adds insult to injury.
Visit the Forever Missed site to support this cause or learn more about these concerns.