LOS ANGELES — Mayor Eric Garcetti and the Department of Cultural Affairs today launched the COVID-19 Pandemic Reflections Initiative (CPR LA) to explore options for a permanent COVID-19 memorial.
“The COVID pandemic has impacted all of us in a profound way, including through the loss of family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. This memorial will provide us with a physical space where we can honor and remember our loved ones,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “The memorial will also stand as a testament to our collective strength and resilience for generations to come.”
CPR LA was first introduced earlier this year with a request for proposals (RFP) for a consultant team to research, design, plan, facilitate, execute, and monitor the project. Through a panel selection process, See Change Institute was selected to facilitate a series of listening strategies, including a citywide survey and community listening sessions, and to use insights gained from the public to develop the project.
“Our team is excited to work with the City of Los Angeles, the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Mayor’s Office to explore what the COVID-19 pandemic has meant to Angelenos and discuss options for a COVID-19 Memorial through this initiative,” said Dr. Beth Karlin, Founder and CEO of the See Change Institute. “This is an important step forward towards engaging our city in a collective process of memorializing the loss and lessons we experienced as a result of the pandemic.”
CPR LA is an outgrowth of the Civic Memory Project led by Christopher Hawthorne, the former City of Los Angeles Chief Design Officer. The Civic Memory working group, made up of historians, architects, scholars, and staff from city departments, began working in November 2019 and concluded its work in February 2021. Its final report, “Past Due,” offers strategies to help a city-led approach to the production of monuments, memorials, and commemorations that feel authentic, equitable, and productive to Angelenos.
“In recognition of the many lives lost as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this initiative will give the residents of Los Angeles the opportunity to honor the people we loved and to reflect, remember, and instill hope as we move forward in our recovery and healing,” said Daniel Tarica, Interim General Manager of the Department of Cultural Affairs.
In November 2022, Mayor Garcetti launched Strength and Love, The City of Angels’ COVID-19 Memorial to commemorate and remember those lost to COVID and those who have held the City together throughout the pandemic. During the 3-day memorial, Angelenos had opportunities to join nightly actions. Buildings across L.A. were also lit blue each night, and the Griffith Observatory hosted a white flag installation to memorialize the nearly 27,000 lives lost to COVID-19 at that time.
