At the corner of Virginia Street and Jefferson Ave, former coworkers, friends and even people who never had a chance to meet Katherine “Kat” Massey, gathered to beautify the pocket park named after her.
Massey was an fierce advocate for her community, especially in the Fruit Belt where she lived, as well as a longtime employee of Blue Cross Blue Shield. At age 72, she was one of the 10 Black people murdered in the May 14, 2022 racist massacre at Tops Friendly Markets on Jefferson Avenue.
On the fourth anniversary of her death, former coworker Don Ingalls shared that she had a special effect on people and this park is a way of carrying on her legacy.
“People would say, you know, if you're in a bad mood, you get on the elevator with Kat, and by the time you get to your floor, you're feeling much better," Ingalls shared. "She had that kind of effect on people."
"She was so committed to the community and this park was was really important to her," Ingalls added. "And she singlehandedly kind of built this up from the beginning, and the family continues to mow it. And last year we were here, a whole bunch of us.”
Weeding, spreading mulch and planting plants, the group of volunteers were preparing the park for spring. Among them was Emry Moore, another employee of Blue Cross Blue Shield.
He said many of her former coworkers still cherish her memory and this park is one way they keep her legacy alive.
“So [with Kat] it was always a positive attitude, always a beam of light, and then there's just everything else that actually is represented right here," Moore said. "She loved her garden, she loved her neighborhood, she loved her family."
"Her family really maintains this park throughout the year. They know how much it meant to her to have this space here in this neighborhood, and they want to make sure that it looks good, and that's why we're here to help today," Moore added.
Her sister Barbara Massey Mapps and her nephew visited the park on their way to the remembrance, embracing and thanking the volunteers.
The gathering was part of a larger East-side-wide Day of Service and Remembrance.
