Fairbanks’ first annual Homeless Persons Memorial, hosted in collaboration between local non-profits, Bread Line, Inc., the Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC), and Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), honored the lives of Alaska’s overlooked population – unhoused individuals. Taking place at the Chief David Salmon Tribal Hall on winter solstice, the event also unveiled a thought-provoking piece of functional art created by Ryan Tinsley and Stacey Fritz from CCHRC.
By day, Fritz works as a Research Anthropologist at CCHRC, and Tinsley is a Building Facilitator for the organization. The duo has extended their work into finding ways to call public attention to the issue of homelessness in Alaska, so their collaboration with Hannah Hill, Executive Director of Bread line, Inc., is a natural evolution. Bread Line has supported life affirming care for Fairbanks’ houseless population for the last 40 years.
Tinsley and Fritz’s creation sparks essential conversations about the fate of Alaska’s houseless population and the urgent need for comprehensive interventions to save lives.
The Homeless Persons Memorial shelf, now permanently housed in TCC’s Chief David Salmon Tribal Hall, showcases personal belongings of those who lost their lives in Fairbanks due to the harsh conditions. During the Homeless Persons Memorial, loved ones of the departed placed items on the shelf, creating a poignant display. Hill recalls the tender moments of people remembering their lost loved ones, with items ranging from delicate rocks and copies of meaningful books like Wheels on Ice to photographs, poems, raven feathers, carefully folded fabric, shells, and a wood carving. “It was incredible to see,” says Hill, “A lot of love and a little healing.”
Tinsley, supported by a materials cost donation from Bread Line, constructed the shelf using locally sourced and repurposed materials. Recognizing the emotional significance of belongings, Tinsley emphasized the importance of using materials that hold meaning for the families and friends of the departed. “People establish an emotional connection with their surroundings,” he says, “and it was my goal to imbue the work with a sense of quality, reverence, and dignity.” The nature of the Homeless Persons Memorial Shelf symbolizes the empathy, humanity, and holistic approach needed within our communities to genuinely address this issue.
Fritz succinctly captures the art’s objective: “We are the Golden Heart City, and no one should be exempt from catching the light.” The trio behind the memorial, aiming to establish it as an annual event, urge residents to recognize that housing solutions go beyond mere shelter.
Hill emphasizes that removing houseless individuals from the streets alone is not the solution. “Simply shuffling unhoused people from street to street in our community perpetuates the cyclical nature of the housing issue that continues to cost lives and money,” says Hill. “To create solutions that will last, we have to meet people where they’re at and house them in a way that affirms their lives.” TCC extends our gratitude to Ryan, Hannah, and Stacey for their ongoing efforts to honor the sanctity of life for Alaska’s unhoused and most vulnerable, as well as for creating art that serves as a call to action for Fairbanks.