The Floral Heart Project, a COVID-19 Memorial effort started by New York City artist Kristina Libby, will be laying nearly one hundred floral hearts across the US on March 1st. Hundreds of volunteers from Maine to California will lay floral hearts in their communities to recognize the losses associated with COVID-19. These layings will include vigils, mayoral proclamations, musical accompaniment, and speeches by COVID-loss families.

“I didn’t start out to create a nationwide effort. I laid a heart because I was grieving and I wanted to do something to recognize our losses,” said founder Kristina Libby. “From there the project has grown as others want to recognize the losses in a way that is beautiful and compassionate. Community matters now more than ever and one way we can grow community is by grieving together.”

The Floral Heart Project laying aligns with the efforts by Marked By COVID to create a national COVID Memorial Day for those lost to COVID-19. Over 60 public servants including the mayors of Dallas, Pittsburgh, Austin and Milwaukee have shown their support with a U.S. Conference of Mayors resolution. Floral Hearts can be found across the country including: Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Washington, DC, Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, and New York.

“We need to have safe space and community to support those that have lost someone or have known of someone that has passed. Because right now it feels like people have gone through it, but they don’t feel safe to talk about it,” shared Luz Maria Vargas, a volunteer organizer in Chicago who will be bringing a heart to Buckingham Garden.

Communities are encouraged to continue to lay floral hearts after March 1st and to reach out to participate in future activities including efforts to create living memorial gardens and permanent memorial installations.  A full list of hearts can be found HERE, and more on the project can be found HERE.

About the Floral Heart Project
The Floral Heart Project was started in April of 2020 by artist Kristina Libby to memorialize those we’ve lost to COVID-19. The goal is to create permanent memorials around the country that provide space for community grieving and healing.