In Memoriam
We dedicate this page to those whose voices will forever be remembered and will impact policy efforts and public debates for generations to come.
Catherine Kassenoff said she chose assisted suicide in Switzerland rather than living with the “unbearable pain” of being unable to see her children during her divorce while terminally ill. (Courtesy of Catherine Kassenoff)
Catherine Kassenoff
This was the message a Westchester County, N.Y., woman sent on Memorial Day Weekend to those who knew about the epic war she was fighting—to get her three daughters back in a years-long custody dispute with her husband. And, through the tears, most of us thought four things: I am devastated; sadly, I can understand how she reached this heartbreaking decision; our family court system did this; and we must fight for change before we lose more Catherines.
Our courts repeatedly allow abusers to weaponize our legal system against women—making them the target of a war that can cost them, like Kassenoff, their health, jobs, money, homes, children and peace. No one should live this way in America—or anywhere. It’s an underworld only those who have been through family court, or know someone who has, can comprehend.
https://tinyurl.com/mtf3rj3n
Pava LaPere
Baltimore tech CEO Pava LaPere is being remembered for her impact not only in her industry but also for what she's done for Charm City.
Everyone who knew her said the same thing: LaPere loved helping people. Those mourning her death say the city lost a big champion for the community.After city leaders identified Jason Billingsley, 32, as a suspect in her death Monday, Mayor Brandon Scott took a moment to praise her."Pava was a very young, talented, devoted Baltimorean—someone I had the opportunity to know over the past few years who would help anybody that she would see," Scott said.LaPere's resume includes numerous nonprofits where she helped entrepreneurs get their start.
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But her company, Ecomap Technologies, is where her helping nature really took off. The company created resource maps for communities.
McKeever Conwell—who's known LaPere since she was a Johns Hopkins University student and is a part of Baltimore's tech community as well—said it showed LaPere's character to have a company based on helping people.
"That's who she was," he said.
Conwell, who is the managing partner at tech company RareBreed Ventures, added that LaPere made it a priority to ensure everyone had a seat at the table.
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