Keeping Them Alive [Ongoing]
The residents of Rochester, N.Y. find unique rituals to mourn their loved ones who are the victims of an environment of persistent gun violence. “Amongst the black community, death is not a time of sadness but a time to rejoice for the deceased no longer has to endure the trials and tribulations of this earthly world,” according to research from Kenyon College. Some African American customs of death can be traced back to the Bankongo and LaDogaa tribes. Throughout these rituals, love shines through the pain. “Celebrating their life keeps them alive,” says Persephone Modeste, a therapist in the community. “Sometimes, the pain bears you down so much that you have to think of something joyful, to be able to move on because [it] can be debilitating.”