Honoring Tamir Rice

A Tenth Anniversary Day of Remembrance at the Stony Island Arts Bank

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 2024
Contact: Anaga Dalal, adalal@uchicago.edu, 201.600.4718 (c)

November 22, 2024, marks ten years since Tamir Rice’s assassination by a Cleveland, Ohio police officer. To honor his life, Tamir’s mother Samaria Rice, the Tamir Rice Foundation, Theaster Gates, Rebuild Foundation, and the University of Chicago’s Center for the Study of Race, Politics & Culture will host a commemorative gathering at the Stony Island Arts Bank. This event recognizes Tamir’s legacy within a sacred space dedicated to reflection, community resilience, and remembrance.

“It’s 10 years later, and I still feel breathless sometimes,” said Samaria Rice. “But through this pain, my vision is to see investment in Tamir’s legacy and community. To continue building on Tamir’s life through gatherings like this weekend’s commemoration at Rebuild and the support of the Tamir Rice Foundation.”

“The epidemic of police brutality has devastated communities of color since the inception of a police force in the U.S.,” says Faculty Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics & Culture (CSRPC) Gina Miranda Samuels. “The memory of Tamir Rice calls upon us all to value community and care over cops and carcerality.”

Rebuild Founder and Executive Director Theaster Gates added:

“This commemoration is a reminder of the profound loss of Tamir Rice as well as the enduring strength of Ms. Samaria Rice, who has turned her pain into purpose. As stewards of the Tamir Rice Memorial Gazebo, we are honored to preserve this powerful symbol of his legacy here in Chicago while supporting Ms. Rice’s ongoing fight for justice and her tireless efforts to improve communities for our children.”

The Arts Bank has held a central role as a home to the gazebo where Tamir’s life was taken by a Cleveland Police Officer. Here, the gazebo—first preserved in its deconstructed state and later reassembled—serves as a powerful reminder of both Tamir’s life and legacy as well as the police violence leveraged against Black and brown communities.

On this day, Samaria Rice invites the community to join her in remembrance, with a program that includes reflections, creative expression, a meal, and a screening of For Our Children, Debora Souza Silva’s evocative film on maternal resilience in the face of police violence.

This event, with the creation, local artist musical performances, haikus, and a presentation of stuffed animals and other memorabilia as gifts to Ms. Rice, offers a space for grieving, healing, and celebrating life, honoring Tamir’s spirit and the ongoing fight for justice.