Family of Lapu Lapu attack victim feels memorial event announcement is 'too soon'
Family and friends of a victim of the Lapu Lapu festival tragedy are speaking out over the lack of communication from the City of Vancouver on an upcoming memorial event at Rogers Arena.
News of the benefit event became public after Vancouver City Council voted unanimously this week to move forward with a “Come Together: Vancouver Strong” sometime in June.
However, not all members of the community are in support of the event, including the loved ones of Kira Salim, who was one of 11 people killed in the tragedy, with many more injured.
Jada Stevens, a close friend of Salim speaking on behalf of their loved ones, told Daily Hive that those closest to Kira only became aware of the event through the news.
Kira Salim/Latincouver
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“Our initial feeling was one of confusion — how could a memorial be planned without input from people who know those who are to be memorialized,” said Stevens. “We know nothing about the event — do they expect families to participate, to provide input, to make a statement?”
“Will the memorial be respectful of the cultures of the victims? Will the money from ticket sales be donated back to the affected community? You would expect the City of Vancouver to have made a better effort to allay any of our concerns before announcing the event publicly.”
Kira was “kind, deeply curious of others”
Salim was a teacher-counsellor at Fraser River Middle School in New Westminster and is remembered for having a “powerful impact” on the middle and secondary students they worked with. Stevens described them as “kind, deeply curious of others, and had an incredible ability to make friends quickly and form deep connections.”
They were active in the LGBTQ+ community, where they advocated for trans rights and performed as a drag king as well as in the ballroom and runway scenes. Salim loved the outdoors, their five cats and one dog, and their husband, Kim Gutman.
Kira Salim/GoFundMe
“The families of the victims are still in deep stages of grief and in the process of planning their own private services and memorials,” explained Stevens. “Those of us who knew Kira need more time to gather privately and support each other before we are able to make public appearances in a stadium full of thousands. We haven’t had that opportunity yet.
“While we understand there is a collective need for the public to gather and support each other, a big public event of this scale and format just feels too soon.”
Is the planned Lapu Lapu memorial event “too soon”?
In a statement to Daily Hive, Filipino BC said that its concerns lie with the lack of centring the victims and families of the tragedy.
“We were not consulted on the content and specifics of the motion, which was for a memorial event and not a benefit concert,” said RJ Aquino, chair of Filipino BC.
“We heard from the community, including victims and families, that while they are in support of a benefit concert, the motion for a memorial event felt inappropriate and ill-advised. They also told us that an event in June feels too soon. We (also) understand that the City had not reached out to the victims and families before this motion.”
However, the Mayor’s Office said in a statement to Daily Hive that it has been working closely with Filipino BC and other community partners on this commemorative, not-for-profit benefit event since the immediate aftermath of the tragedy on Saturday, April 26.
“We have reached out to Filipino BC directly to seek clarification and reaffirm our shared commitment to ensuring this event is done with the community,” said a representative of the Mayor’s Office. “We remain committed to standing with the Filipino community and all those impacted by this tragedy, both now and as we move forward together.”
Daniel Chai/Daily Hive
Planned benefit event may conflict with other memorials and funerals
Stevens said that she wishes that the City had reached out to the loved ones of the Lapu Lapu tragedy victims to consult on a date that may be appropriate for those most closely affected.
The experiential designer explained that the Filipino community and families of victims may already be at capacity with planning memorials and funerals in June, which is the time frame that the City is planning for the “Come Together: Vancouver Strong” event.
“We have heard from sources that the City event may take place on the same date as the private memorial that we are planning for Kira,” she added. “How is that fair? How are we to ensure that Kira is respectfully memorialized by the City if we can’t be in attendance?
“There is a perceived lack of respect for the families by not reaching out prior to making a public announcement of this event. They should have provided a channel for us to communicate with them so the news of this event wouldn’t come out as a complete surprise.”
Stevens added that Salim’s loved ones are planning a celebration of their life filled with “joy, music, and love.” The event will feature drag performers and artists from the LGBTQ+ community, traditional dishes to represent Salim’s Brazilian heritage, and food generously provided by the Filipino community.
“This gathering is an opportunity for everyone touched by Kira’s incredible spirit to come together, share stories, and honour the joy, music, and love they brought into our lives,” said Stevens, who shared a thank you to Filipino BC for their ongoing support.
“We have received so many messages of support from folks all around Vancouver and around the world. I understand that this tragedy has affected so many people, and my heart goes out to everyone who is hurting from this. The healing is still ongoing for everyone affected, but the generous donations and support from others are incredibly uplifting.”
Stevens also added that Salim’s loved ones would like to attend the planned memorial benefit at Rogers Arena, if the date works, and if the City were to reach out and invite them.
When asked if the City of Vancouver would be contacting the families of the Lapu Lapu Day tragedy victims about the upcoming event, a representative from the Mayor’s Office confirmed with Daily Hive that communication would be established.
“The event is planned to be a celebration of community strength and resilience. A date has not yet been [set], but we will share that once it is confirmed. Council unanimously passed a resolution yesterday calling for the event to undertake additional consultation with victims and families.”
With files from Daily Hive staff
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