Cincinnati, Ohio

The Before I Die Wall at 12th and Jackson Street in Cincinnati resulted from Erika Nj Allen’s presentation in an art history course. The enthusiastic response to the Before I Die project encouraged the student to build this wall with the Art Academy of Cincinnati. “I immediately realized how meaningful it was due to the reaction everyone in class had,” said Allen. “My classmates and I were inspired by the message of comfort in regards to grief and death, because it offers a safe space to process and confront the feelings of despair by finding a way to accept the act of death as a natural thing. It also prepares us to be compassionate as a community. This project personally resonates with me, as I know it does with others. Coping with the loss of someone you love is very difficult. My hope is that with this wall we can find some kind of hope and positive confrontation of grief by realizing that we are not alone in this feeling, that there are many others willing to listen.”