SRLP Honors Isaac Kwock
With great sadness, SRLP mourns the loss of former collective member Isaac Kwock. Isaac passed away on March 15, 2011, at the age of 35, after a fight with cancer. As a collective member at SRLP from 2007 through 2009, Isaac served actively on our Board team, as well as various SRLP committees and projects, and played a big role in setting our five-year goals and vision through our strategic planning process. In addition, Isaac was a member, board member, staff member, volunteer, or supporter of countless other organizations governed by and serving people of color, low income people, young people, queer people, and transgender people in New York City. He donated so much of his life to social justice work, and to our communities!
We remember Isaac for his thoughtfulness, his style, his gentleness, his brilliance, his humor – especially sarcasm – and the amazing ideas and energy he brought to our work. We will also remember him for his love of soda and his hatred of “those things” – (he didn’t like to say the word, but that refers to snakes).
All of us at SRLP want to thank and honor Isaac for the joy and vision he shared with us.
You can read Isaac's obituary online. Donations to honor Isaac’s memory can be made to The Door. Please include Isaac’s name in the memo line.
Please join Isaac's family and friends in a memorial and celebration of Isaac Kwock on Friday, March 18th, at University Settlement Speyer Hall (184 Eldridge Street, 2nd Floor) at 1:00 pm.
Music, stories, images, food and community ...
If you would like to contribute photos for the slide show, please send them to Christine Femia, Houston Street Center, cfemia [at] universitysettlement [dot] org
We invite family, friends, and community members to leave messages below in honor of Isaac and in celebration of his life and what he brought to all of us.
As a student at the SFUHS Summerbridge program,I knew Isaac briefly as the assistant director for some months in the 2009-2010 school year. Even though I never had the chance to fully connect with him, I could see that Isaac's amazing personality and bright attitude would raise the spirits and lighten the mood in the Summerbridge learning center repeatedly. Every time I saw him he would smile and shake my hand, treating me, a student, with respect I believed to only be reserved for teachers and adults. I wish his friends and family peace and happy memories of Isaac.
Me and my husband met Isaac when we lived in Astoria, Isaac was our neighbor, we instantly became friends and chatted from time to time in the hallway when we came across...we used to take care of each other's cats when we were away.
Isaac had this peaceful and great energy, never in a bad mood, never a word against anyone, even his apartment and his cats had this great relaxing energy....I have come to the realization that people like him, so special, have to go in an early age because they are needed somewhere else..., what else could explain such an early departure?
I never knew he was involved in so many important activities, he was very humble and simple. But we knew that he always worked in community services, that is what he loved. I am very proud and happy to have had the pleasure to meet him, one of a kind human being, a great friend.
We will be attending his memorial, but it hurts that he will not be there to hug him and tell him how much we cared about him.
I learned from him the love and the example of unselfishness he gave to the world.
We miss you a lot Isaac, we will never forget you.
I met Isaac when I worked with SRLP as a communications coordinator. He was simply a great person. He was kind, patient, and he had a wit about him that I simply loved. It's hard to believe that I won't see him again in this life. He always communicated with me in a way that was respectful and gentle. He LOVED Mariah Carey. (Which I NEVER understood...but I didn't judge. LOL) He will be truly be missed.
I met Isaac back in 1999 and immediately felt the good vibe he brought to all those who knew him. I vividly remember that night he was doing his first gig as a DJ and how happy he looked to be doing what he loved. Isaac brought people together and will continue to do so. I didn't take it to well when I learned of the news because it's hard to see the young ones passing. He had so much more to give to this world and it isn't fair he had to stop so early in life. His spirit will continue working for the underserved, advocating, and making good music wherever his soul is. God bless you Isaac!!!
Dear Friends of Isaac and folks at SRLP,
I'm not sure I can come up to nyc for the memorial tomorrow, but I've been thinking about Isaac and all of you so much in the last few days. Sending big huge love to all who are remembering and grieving such a wonderful person. My heart is with you. Love, E. Nepon
I knew Isaac only briefly and not well, yet his passing has shaken me. This is in part because of the personal memories stirred whenever anyone I know or know of dies of cancer. But it is in larger part because of the affect I see his passing have on my friends and members of my communities. It makes me so sad to witness their pain, but there is also something beautiful in it since it shows how profound and joyful an impact Isaac had on their lives. We lose too many in our communities far too soon, and especially of late this feels all too frequent. But in all of these cases, through the very real sadness, I also see the light and the beauty that each individual brought to the people whose lives they touched. I think that's what helps us through these times.
I am reminded of Whitman, beautiful queen that he was. I'll quote him here in your honor, Isaac, and in the hope that it brings all of us, your partner, your family, friends, fellow collective members, colleagues, and community, some measure of comfort.
"I wish I could translate the hints about the dead young men
and women,
And the hints about old men and mothers, and the offspring
taken soon out of their laps.
What do you think has become of the young and old men?
And what do you think has become of the women and
children?
They are alive and well somewhere,
The smallest sprout shows there is really no death,
And if ever there was it led forward life, and does not wait
at the end to arrest it,
And ceas'd the moment life appear'd.
All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses,
And to die is different from what any one supposed, and
luckier."
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