As indicated by The Washington Post, Joseph Kitchen’s body was found in his Washington, D.C. loft on Sunday, Aug. 16. His sibling Lawrence Ramizer said there is no belief foul play was involved.
The 34-year-old community pioneer was most recently seen face to face on Aug. 8 at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Maryland, and during a Zoom meeting on Aug. 11. Ramirez said he saw something was bizarre when his sibling wasn’t answering his telephone or being consistent on social media.
Days before on July 22, Kitchen, who was likewise a director of network outreach at the Washington School for Girls, shared a composed piece on Medium where he clearly defined his encounters with anxiety, morning ailment, and having a partner who was diagnosed to have Coronavirus. He conceded he was struggling to acknowledge the passing of civil rights pioneer John Lewis
Kitchen likewise took to Twitter to share his contemplations. “For the past few days (possibly even weeks) I have been struggling. Mostly in silence,” he wrote. “Surviving with a jam-packed schedule of meetings, phone calls and even some Facebook live events. Last week I realized, I am not okay.”
Following the updates on death, those in the Maryland community communicated their sympathies via social media.
“With a heavy heart, we are sad to say that Joseph Kitchen has passed,” the Maryland Democratic Party tweeted. “Joseph Kitchen was the President of the Young Democrats of Maryland. A kind heart that has impacted so many. Rest in peace, Joseph Kitchen.”
Prince George’s County Councilman Calvin Hawkins said that he trusts Kitchen’s work “will be a public service legacy that we all emulate.”
Maryland State Delegate Jazz Lewis, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, and previous gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous additionally shared cherishing recognitions for the former community pioneer.
In his sibling’s absence, Ramirez shared his considerations about Kitchen ought to be memorialized. “What we want folks to remember is that Joseph was a big advocate for youth of color and that were in environments they could not control,” he told The Post. “He worked his life fighting for a change when it came to youth in underserved areas. We want people to remember him for that.”
© 2020, Jonathan P-Wright. All rights reserved.
