We Continue to Mourn Needless Deaths

This is Part Two of a Four-Part Series Honoring the Lives We’ve Lost to COVID-19

Part One: Ten Awesome People We’ve Lost to COVID-19
Part Three: Kids We’ve Lost to COVID-19
Part Four: We Failed Our Most Essential

In May, just before the United States hit 100,000 deaths from COVID-19, I shared short profiles of Ten Awesome People We’ve Lost to COVID-19. These Americans—who all died too young—were emergency workers, activists, educators, social workers, essential employees, and aspiring leaders. They belonged to some of the groups hardest-hit by the virus: people of color and people with disabilities. They had decades of life still ahead of them.

Two months later, another 38,000+ Americans have died, and confirmed cases of COVID-19 are skyrocketing across the country. America’s government made many mistakes in the early months of the pandemic, on both a national and local level, and unfortunately, the mistakes continue. Lessons we should have learned from the early days of the panic haven’t been learned, and America is suffering a far greater crisis than any other developed country.

Far too many Americans have died, and even the most dedicated publications, like the New York Times’ Those We’ve Lost, can’t keep up with the thousands of lives that deserve tribute, mourning, and change. We can—and should—do better. We are already mourning more than 138,000 Americans. How many more will we lose before it’s over?

Laneeka Barksdale, 47, Ballroom Dancer, Michigan – Laneeka Barksdale may have been a Lyft driver by day, but she was a Detroit ballroom dance star by night. In the local ballroom scene, she was known as a virtuoso who had mastered bop, stepping, hustles, and other challenging steps. As a teenager, she appeared on a local cable dance series called “The Scene”, where black-owned businesses frequently advertised. She had previously worked as a bartender and was a mother of four, ranging in age from 7 to 26. Read more about Laneeka here and here.

Nick Cordero, 41, Broadway Actor, California – Nick Cordero was a Tony-nominated Broadway star of such hits as 2014’s Bullets Over Broadway, Waitress, and A Bronx Tale. The 6’5″ tall actor was regularly cast in “tough guy” roles on stage, and he had recently moved with his family from New York City to Los Angeles to star in an immersive production of Rock of Ages. He fell ill in March and was put in a medically-induced coma. His wife, Amanda Kloots, a dancer and fitness instructor, shared updates on his illness on Instagram, as he had a leg amputated and was put on a ventilator. Nick Cordero died in July, more than three months after his COVID-19 diagnosis, leaving behind his wife and 1-year-old son. Read more about Nick here, here, and here.

Wogene Debele, 43, Mother, Maryland – Wogene Debele was already a mother of three when she fell ill at eight-months pregnant. Her son, Levi, was born a month early via cesarean, and did not contract the COVID-19 virus which killed Wogene only weeks later. Wogene left behind her husband, a 17-year-old daughter, and three sons—10-year-old Noad, 4-year-old Asher, and newborn Levi. The family emigrated from Ethiopia a decade ago and settled into the large Ethiopian community of Takoma Park, where the stay-at-home mother was known to be outgoing and “kind to everyone.” Her entire family is in mourning, including her partner of 25 years, and her daughter, Mihret, who feels as though “I lost my mother, my sister, and my friend.” Read more about Wogene here and here.

Douglas Hickok, 57, Physician Assistant, New Jersey – Physician assistant Douglas Hickok was a captain in the Army New Jersey National Guard with three generations of military service in his family. He had “28 years of medical experience in orthopedic care, acute care, employee health, trauma surgery and medicine” and served as a civilian physician assistant at Joint Base Andrews and worked at a civilian orthopedic clinic in Pennsylvania. Last year he helped save two injured soldiers from a vehicle accident at a National Guard training event. He was the first uniformed service member to die from COVID-19, which has so-far claimed 42 active U.S. military personnel. Read more about him here and here.

Chianti Jackson Harpool, 51, Social Worker, Maryland – Chianti Harpool worked for many years as a drug counselor at the Johns Hopkins Broadway Center for Addiction and Baltimore Behavioral Health, and as a social worker for Health Care for the Homeless. In 2015, she started a home-based chocolate-making business, Chianti’s Chocolates, and later joined Marilyn Mosby’s campaign for Baltimore City State’s Attorney and worked as a senior executive assistant following Mosby’s election. She loved music and fast cars and is survived by her husband, parents, and three children. Read more about Chianti here and here.

Dosha Joi, 28, Foster Youth Advocate, Wisconsin – Dosha Joi, known as DJay, was an advocate for foster youth who had grown up in foster care himself. He thrived as an advocate and champion of LGBTQ rights, and he was part of a group that successfully lobbied for young people with special education needs to stay in the system until age 21. Dosha received multiple awards for his dedication to young people as they navigated the foster care system, and he was “like a son” to Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore. Representatives Moore and Karen Bass (CA) have introduced legislation in Joi’s honor which would grant foster youth access to Medicaid until age 26. Read more about Dosha here and here.

Kious Kelly, 48, Assistant Nurse Manager, New York – Assistant Nurse Manager Kious Jordan Kelly, RN, of Mount Sinai West may have been the first nurse to die of COVID-19 in NYC. He originally moved to NYC from Michigan to pursue a dance career and danced with several New York companies into his 30s. He later graduated from NYU’s nursing program in 2012. Kelly was one of the first U.S. healthcare workers to die of COVID-19, although hundreds have died since. His death prompted an outcry over the lack of critical PPE needed to keep frontline workers safe. Read more about Kious here, here, and here.

Yupadee Kobkulboonsiri, 51, Jewelry Designer, New York – Award-winning jewelry designer Yupadee Kobkulboonsiri was born and raised in Thailand and graduated from FIT after immigrating to New York. She worked for 20 years at Grunberger Jewelers where she designed whimsical high-end engagement rings and couture necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and more. She was the first American winner of the World Gold Council’s Gold Virtuosi Award and recipient of many other international design awards. She was a devout Buddhist and had begun designing furniture with her husband and collaborator, Steven Fishman. Read more about Yupadee here, here, and here.

Kenneth Saunders III, 43, Community Advocate, Georgia – Kenneth Saunders III was known as a political peacemaker and was a tireless advocate in his community of DeKalb County, GA, with aspirations to higher office. He joined the bard of the Hidden Hills Civic Association at age 18 and later served as its vice president. He was also the president of the South DeKalb Improvement Association and a member of the DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals. Others who served alongside him described Saunders as “quiet and thoughtful”, “unfailingly polite”, and willing to engage with people on all sides of the political spectrum. Read more about him here, here, and here.

Lynika Strozier, 35, Scientist, Illinois – Lynika Strozier overcame a severe learning disability to pursue a career in science and was known to have “golden hands” that helped her excel at extracting DNA from fragile plants. She worked for more than a decade as a researcher in the DNA lab at the Field Museum in Chicago while earning two master’s degrees in biology and science education. She was a perfectionist who thrived at delicate, detailed work that others found tedious and frustrating, and had recently begun serving as an adjunct science instructor at Malcolm X College. A GoFundMe was set up in her honor to cover funeral expenses and raise money for a scholarship for young science to continue her legacy. Read more about Lynika here, here, and here.

Diana Tennant, 51, Food Bank Volunteer, New Jersey – Mother of three and grandmother of one, Diana Tennant was a “champion for the hungry” who worked for Fulfill (formerly the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties) for twelve years, after serving as a longtime volunteer and donor. In a time of increased food insecurity, food bank workers have been on the frontline during the pandemic, helping people in their communities meet their most basic needs. Tennant also served as a leader in the Latino Coalition of the New Jersey and was a past chair of the the Latino Festival of Monmouth County. Read more about Diana here, here, and here.

Marny Xiong, 31, Social Justice Champion, Minnesota – In January, Marny Xiong was elected as chair of the school board in St. Paul, Minnesota, and she negotiated an end to a teacher’s strike shortly before the pandemic closed down schools across the country. Xiong was born in the U.S., one of eight children of Hmong refugees, and her political activism began when she was a teenager. She previously worked for an anti-hunger organization and with TakeAction Minnesota and was known as a social justice champion who wanted to strengthen ties between Asian-Americans and other people of color. She had many dreams for where her advocacy on behalf of Hmongs and other people of color could take her. Read more about Marny here and here.