History

Never Forget Chicago is dedicated to providing a sanctuary for victims of Chicago violence so that lost lives are more than numbers and statistics. Never Forget does this by transforming data into personalized visual mementos. Each victim of Chicago violence has a space where their family and friends know they are respected and loved.

Never Forget Chicago (NFC) unofficially began as a passion project when its founder, Maxwell Emcays, created the first “Never Forget” gift. This gift, a white teddy bear known as Terrence, bore a flower and card that read, “Never Forget Derrion Albert”, was the birth of the campaign. Since then, NFC has forged strong roots with many Chicago families and communities affected by violence. NFC honors grieving families with symbolic and personalized “Remembrance Gifts” and by creating a compassionate community that acknowledges, honors, and respects both the victim and the family.

For too many years, families and victims of Chicago violence have been forgotten or remain unnoticed. The consequences of this spiraling violence have created a community indifferent to the victims of Chicago and the families that grieve and suffer in silence. NFC is committed to implementing change not only by helping affected families remember their loved ones, but by helping Chicago acknowledge and change the underlining issues contributing to the death of so many innocent victims. The goal of NFC is to empower and respect the families while encouraging the grieving and healing process. We also hope to impact the community through their acknowledgement of the victims and by recognizing the city’s role and responsibilities.

Never Forget is a philanthropic project by Chicago based artist Maxwell Emcays

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