NTLM Community Liaison Sandra A. M. Bell at the activation ceremony on November 2nd, 2025, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3847.A)
For the final year of the project, the planning team chose the theme “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID Memorial for the Past, Present, and Future.” This theme was chosen to evoke past, present, and future experiences of COVID-19. Our team studied bridges as spatial tools to connect over distance and difference. We imagined stitches as a metaphor for healing and repair. And we looked to compasses to understand how our memorial-makers could reach out to forces invisible to us as we navigate into the future.
The memorial at Green-Wood Cemetery contained 46,955 lights, one for each person in New York City who died of COVID-19. This total came from the NYC Department of Health and was updated on April 17, 2025. Deaths include test-confirmed cases as well as others with “COVID-19” or equivalent listed on the person’s death certificate. This total almost certainly undercounts COVID-19 deaths in NYC. It does not include people whose deaths may have been related to COVID but whose death certificates listed a different cause. It excludes people who died in nursing homes and prisons but whose deaths went unreported or were intentionally obscured. Additionally, it became difficult to collect accurate data on COVID-19 deaths after the Biden administration ended the state of emergency on May 11, 2023.
In preparation for the memorial, we organized four community-based workshops for community partners’ lead artists. These were held on: March 22 at Lefferts House in Brooklyn; March 27 at La Colmena on Staten Island; April 5 at Bronx Music Hall; and April 7 online on Zoom. These workshops were co-faciliated by Jenny Romaine, Sandra Bell, Megan Paradis Hanley, and Juan Aguirre.
We held an activation ceremony on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at Green-Wood Cemetery, outside the Modern Chapel. The ceremony included a procession, second line, and ritual performances. A livestream of the activation ceremony is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOGFJFFwVk4.
The final memorial of the project took place as part of Mano a Mano’s Día de Muertos Celebration at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery in November 2025. We held an activation ceremony, led by Kay Turner and Juan Aguirre, at the memorial on November 2, 2025.
The project closed with a ritual and toast at City Lore on December 6, 2025.
Community partners included: Alice Austen House, Allure Art Studio, Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts, Bronx Documentary Center, Casa Yurumein, Guyana Cultural Association, Health & Hip Hop, Inc., Long Covid Justice, the Lunacorns, Marked by Covid, Mixteca, the Naming the Lost Lights Team, New Moon Sisters, Parent Child Relationship Association, Project Reach Youth SAFE, Purelements Evolution in Dance, West Indian American Day Carnival Association, Women’s Empowerment Coalition of New York, and Yaffa Cultural Arts.
The installation team included: Sandra A. M. Bell, Inga Lee Black, Darkin Brown, Amelia Castillo, Mary Feaster, David Guzman, Stanton Jones, Liana Kalman, Erika Marland, Amany Noureldin, Jenny Romaine, Early Shinada, Aviva Silverman, Margi Trapani, Sam Wilson, and Green-Wood volunteers.
Performers and ritual leaders included: Zafer Tawil, the Brass Queens, City councilmember Alexa Avilés, Winston “Jeggae” Hoppie, Lucia Ce-Malinalli, Adriana Vergara, Sarah Chandler, Nate Speare, Esther Lelievre, Glenda Cadogan of the New Moon Sisters, Mazarte Mexican Dance Company, and Kay Turner.
Part of Mano a Mano’s Día de Muertos Celebration (St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery)
Community Partners included: Archive Based Creative Arts, Inside Change from Within, and Long Covid Justice.
The installation team included: Sandra A. M. Bell, Inga Lee Black, Helena Holland Breger, Willa Folmer, Stanton Jones, Liana Kallman, Amany Noureldin, Megan Paradis Hanley, Jenny Romaine, Saar Shemesh, and Aviva Silverman.
Filter 2025 Archive
NTLM Community Liaison Sandra A. M. Bell at the activation ceremony on November 2nd, 2025, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3847.A)
Carol Prud’homme Davis speaks at the activation ceremony on November 2nd, 2025, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3837.A)
NTLM Activation Ceremony procession on November 2nd, 2025, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3835.A)
NTLM Activation Ceremony procession on November 2nd, 2025, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3833.A)
Lead Artist Starkim of Archive Based Creative Arts speaks about artwork honoring people incarcerated during the pandemic, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, on November 2nd, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3830.A)
NTLM Lead Artist Jenny Romaine speaks at the memorial activation ceremony on November 2nd, 2025, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3825.A)
NTLM Collaborator Kay Turner speaks at the memorial activation ceremony on November 2nd, 2025, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3822.A)
Starkim offered a workshop on hankerchief art. NTLM Lead Artist Jenny Romaine and NTLM collaborators gathered around the table, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, on November 2nd, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3814.A)
NTLM Collaborator Steve Zeitlin and other pedestrians view the memorial, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, up from October 31-November 13, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3809.A)
Passersby on 2nd Avenue view the memorial at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, up from October 31-November 13, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3800.A)
Detail of Inside Change’s panel: “Alexandra Zevin” by Carol Prud’homme Davis, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, up from October 31-November 13, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3799.A)
Detail of Inside Change’s panel: “Jun Maeda” by Eileen Doster, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, up from October 31-November 13, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3797.A)
Inside Change from Within’s 2025 memorial panel, created with lead artist Sally Young and project coordinator Carol Prudhomme Davis, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, up from October 31-November 13, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3787.A)
Detail of paintings by Starkim, part of Archive Based Creative’s memorial panel, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, up from October 31-November 13, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3784.A)
Archive Based Creative Arts’ 2025 memorial panel, created with lead artist Starkim and handkerchiefs created by incarcerated project collaborators, at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, up from October 31-November 13, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3785.A)
Detail of “Long COVID Dreams” at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, up from October 31-November 13, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3777.A)
Passers-by view the October 2025 memorial, featuring Long COVID Justice’s quilt, “Long Covid Dreams” at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, New York, NY, up from October 31-November 13, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.3773.A)
Much thanks is due to our many installation teams over the years, to the Green-Wood Cemetery volunteers who donated their time, and to Gabrielle Gatto and Margi Trapani who organized them. This is the installation team for “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood Cemetery, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 2nd, 2025. Front Row, left to right: Amelia Boxcutter, Samantha Wilson, Erika Marland, and an NTLM volunteer. Back row, left to right: David Guzman, Green-Wood Cemetery volunteer Nick Hogeboom, Sandra A. M. Bell, Darkin Brown, and Inga Lee Black. Other installation team members were Mary Feaster, Megan Paradis Hanley, Aviva Silverman, Stanton Jones, and Early Shinada. Photographed by Jenny Romaine. (SP_MEM_IM.1829.A)
Aviva Silverman installing decorations around Health & Hip Hop memorial in the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, up from May 8–June 8, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.1785.A)
The Brass Queens lead the activation ceremony procession for the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 8, 2025. Filmed by Edwin Pagan. (SP_MEM_MI.3644.A)
New Moon Sisters at the Activation Ceremony for the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 8, 2025. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3405.A)
J Bitar of Long Covid Justice at the memorial activation ceremony for the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 8, 2025. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3489.A)
Long Covid Justice team in front of their panel in the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 8, 2025. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3504.A)
New Moon Sisters’ memorial panel, created by lead artist Glenda Cadogan with collaborators Jaael Cudjoe, Nadine Benjamin, Kenya Jacob, and Desiree Rhymer, in the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 8, 2025. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar on May 8, 2025. (SP_MEM_IM.3534.A)
Activation Ceremony procession led by the Brass Queens, for the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 8, 2025. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3548.A)
Naming the dead at the activation ceremony for the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 8, 2025. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3600.A)
NTLM Community Liaison Sandra Bell at the activation ceremony altar of the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 8, 2025. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3606.A)
Program flyer for the activation ceremony for the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 8, 2025. Created by the NTLM team. (SP_MEM_TX.3664.A)
Video of the 46,955 comemorative lights that brighten the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, up from May 8–June 8, 2025. Video created by Chris Jordan and the NTLM Team, with footage recorded by Chris Jordan and Jenny Romaine, and photography by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_MI.3656.A)
Memorial partners choose materials at the partner workshop on April 5, 2025, at Bronx Music Hall, Bronx, NY, organized by the NTLM Team. Photographed by Megan Paradis Hanley. (SP_MEM_IM.3741.A)
“A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID Memorial for the Past, Present, and Future” lit up at night, Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, up from May 8–June 8, 2025. Created by the NTLM Team & Parent-Child Relationship Association. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3342.A)
Inga Lee Black working on installation of the 2025 memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, up from May 8–June 8, 2025. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.1782.A)
Long Covid Justice’s panel in the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, up from May 8–June 8, 2025. Memorial panel created by Jac, Jesse, Mars, Sara, Chalay, Xayn, Haewon, Marissa, Pax, Mahmoud, Dezh, Suzanna, M.S., Julie, iliana, Meg, Erin, Sally, and Gisela, with lead artists Jenna Bitar & Luca Stancato. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3345.A)
Inga Lee Black, Erika Marland, and Jenny Romaine install the 2025 memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” in the rain at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, up from May 8–June 8, 2025. Created by the NTLM Team. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.1792.A)
Mixteca’s panel in the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, up from May 8–June 8, 2025. Memorial panel created by Guadalupe Andres and Hugo Andres with the Mixteca community. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3347.A)
Margi Trapani and Darkin Brown working on installation of the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, up from May 8–June 8, 2025. Created by the NTLM Team. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.1789.A)
The memorial contained 46,955 lights, one for each person in New York City who died of COVID-19. The 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, up from May 8–June 8, 2025, created by the NTLM Team. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3360.A)
Health and Hip Hop’s 2025 memorial panel in the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, up from May 8–June 8, 2025. Created by Graffiti Artist Shiro Japan, Visual Artist Abril Amparo, and Collaborators Gene Feliz & Janice Tomlinson. Photographed by Erik McGregor. (SP_MEM_IM.1811.A)
Lucia Ce-Malinalli and Juan Aguirre lead the solemn walk past the 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future” at Green-Wood, 25th St. & 5th ave., Brooklyn, NY, on May 8, 2025. Photographed by Hari Adivarekar. (SP_MEM_IM.3369.A)
Materials for partner workshop on April 5, 2025, which offered memorial partners a chance to dive into the theme of 2025 Memorial “A Bridge, A Stitch, A Compass: A COVID memorial for the past, present, and future.” Mini play created by Jenny Romaine with the NTLM Team. (SP_MEM_TX.1762.A)