If you are afraid of struggle, you don’t get involved in fighting for social justice. But this past year, local activists got far more personal struggle than anyone anticipated.
In May, Marlene Berg, a co-founder of the Institute for Community Research, passed away. Greg Tate, one of the founding members of HartBeat Ensemble, left us in June. Advocate for the homeless, Carol Walter, passed away in last week.
The three activists had a lot in common. The result of Hartford being a small, tightly knit community is that these three individuals shared friends and colleagues.
Having battled cancer, each was described by various allies, friends, and family members as being smart, dedicated, passionate, tireless, and a straight-shooter.
Upon receiving news of each loss, the famous quote from Mother Jones came to mind: “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.”