MINNEAPOLIS - Social media outlets are overflowing with tributes to an artist, poet, activist and organizer whose life was cut painfully short in a fatal crash on I-94 Monday.
Friends and colleagues confirm that Kirk Washington, Jr. died after a westbound vehicle jumped the median on I-94 near Highway 280 and struck Washington's car head-on.
A great tree has fallen, Bro Sun, Kirk Washington, "When Great Trees Fall" https://t.co/YUWuE7PcAS
— Bravebird (@daniellemkali) April 5, 2016
Kirk Washington, Jr. was a proud lifelong resident of North Minneapolis, an artist who used both written and spoken word, poetry, music, and community organizing in a mission to make his community a better place. He was a prominent contributor at Intermedia Arts, an organization dedicated to inspiring social change through the arts.
"His work is a testament to the power of stepping in and working to be a power for change," said Intermedia Arts Executive Director Eyenga Bokamba, her voice breaking. "He dedicated his life, really, to the power of deep inclusion."
Bokamba describes Washington as a brilliant artist and a generous collaborator, who used his poetry and art to create dialog. She said his gift was to spark hard conversations about racial and economic inequities with an open heart and loving spirit. "He was the one who would father people together, and say 'are we ok... as human beings'?", she recalled.
Among the things, Washington was working on was a project with Creative Citymaking Minneapolis, trying to lessen the disparities that exist over age, race and income when it comes to computer access and digital technology. He had appeared several times in the late night artists series at Pillsbury House+Theater, most recently in November of 2015. Washington was also active with Project Sweetie Pie, an effort to use fresh, homegrown food to provide jobs and revitalize the north side community.
Sam Grant called Washington his best friend and "soul brother" who loved North Minneapolis deeply.
"I was looking forward to what we were going to do next together. I feel like a dream has been interrupted," said Grant.
The impact of Washington's death on the community has been overwhelming at times, he said. Washington was a fifth generation North Minneapolis resident.
"We’ve had phone calls all day, a lot of us in Kirk’s life, from artists who are saying he helped me find myself," he said.
Another close friend, E.G. Bailey described Washington as a "very strong community activist."
He met Washington 20 years ago and told KARE 11 he always tried to create a space for the community to come together on the north side. He was in the middle of working on a place that could house a recording studio, computers and performing space for artists.
"He was a strong advocate," he said. "He would always say, 'we have to make things better for the kids.'"
Grant, who was speaking for Washington's wife and two teenage daughters, said the community has lost a great man.
"The family just wants the public to know we have lost one of our greatest creative catalysts," he said.
The Minnesota State Patrol says it continues to investigate the cause of the fatal crash. In 2007, the Minnesota Department of Transportation implemented a number of changes to the roads in this area to help with increased traffic. Prior to 2011, eastbound I-94 at Highway 280 had a concrete barrier in this area. In 2011, MnDOT shortened the median to improve the sight distance for eastbound travelers.
Just a year ago last week, another driver died after crossing the center lane. Investigators said that person was also heading west, and then hit a truck in roughly the same location.MnDOT spokesperson Kevin Gutnecht told KARE 11, they started the process of putting up guard rails in that section the same day of the 2015 accident. The rails are expected to be in place sometime this summer. Gutnecht said these type of projects take time.