93. Reimagining Historic Cemeteries For Community Engagement

The Constellation of Living Memorials (CLM) represents a groundbreaking approach to redefining community engagement in historic cemeteries. Rapid urbanization has caused populations to lose touch with an authentic sense of place, including the memories of our ancestors and the surrounding natural environment. By reimagining these spaces as mixed-use areas, CLM creates a tapestry that educates about local culture and highlights the importance of restoring native ecosystems, bridging the gap between humanity and nature, one cemetery at a time.Fostering a sense of renewal, rediscovery, and nurturing the soul, CLM addresses climate adaptation, environmental justice, human health, biodiversity conservation, and equity. It is a constellation of interwoven landscapes, connecting the heart of cities to their rural environs and even to oceans. In a country where more than 85% of Americans are urbanites, CLM creates an opportunity to partner with spirit, reverse nature deficit disorder, and drive unity.Our speaker this week is Julie Ann Fineman, the president of Friends of the Warren Ferris Cemetery, and Founder of Constellation of Living Memorials.After thirty years as an award-winning Hollywood photographer, Fineman’s photographic legacy is now housed in the permanent collection of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Library. Subsequently, she re-envisioned her life’s focus through a year’s internship on an organic farm in upstate New York. She now advocates for wildlife conservation through multiple programs that she has developed. To learn more, go to:https://www.constellationoflivingmemorials.org