Art Reveals Tragedy

Washington, DC. Breathless. They overwhelmed my mind as I carried bags of 250 boxes, each box representing a person killed in the U.S. by gun violence. I stood before the panels representing 200,000 people killed in the last three years. Silenced by the photos, the circumstances, ages, dates, and places inscribed on boxes, I walked the panels slowly, unable to turn away. Over 50% were suicides. The rest from shooting violence, defense, and accidents. The toll of suffering continues. Over sixty-thousand deaths so far this year.

Forty-five years ago, a schoolmate’s father killed himself, but I know of no one else. I read and listen to gun violence death reports, absorbing anecdotal stories, graphs, and statistics, understanding the problem intellectually, from the safety of my home. Yesterday was something different. I stared spellbound, feeling the pain and hurt. The panels transformed words and numbers into physical symbols of loss.

The thousands of boxes in front of me were visceral and inescapable, causing both sides of my brain, the logical and the emotional, into an alignment of comprehension. I now understand why those who experience tragedy first hand change their lives to take action. It is why former addicts lead recovery programs; why families who lose loved ones to incurable diseases commit to funding research for cures; and why gun violence survivors become passionate advocates, raising awareness of the impact of gun violence on families and communities.

I thank the founders and volunteers in the Soul Box Project for raising my awareness.  

To see more photos and learn about the Soul Box Project on the Mall in DC, read this Washington Post article in the October 16, 2021 edition.

To learn more about the Soul Box Project, go to Soulboxproject.org