Abbie Flanagan of Loyola University Maryland talks about the proposal of a crematorium, and how she and students have combated it.
Loyola senior Carissa Cordero talks about the unique way she has been protesting against the crematorium, and the lessons she has been imparted from the experience.
York Road is a long and busy street in Baltimore, serving as passage for many commuters and being populated with many thriving businesses. One such business is Vaughn Greene Funeral Services, which has a location in the Greater Govans neighborhood at the corner of York Road and Rossiter Avenue. They seek to add a crematory to their operations, and while not explicit with their intentions, it should be noted that cremation rates have risen in the United States in recent years, almost eclipsing traditional burials percentage-wise.
Many citizens of the area expressed concern for the effects this crematorium could have on the community, especially when one considers York Road’s history with redlining, as well as the health risk posed by breathing in the pollutants created by cremation. The nearby Loyola University Maryland shared the sentiment, but it did not come from the institution itself, but one of their organizations. The Center for Community Service and Justice—or CCSJ—is a Loyola organization dedicated to making the world a more equal and healthier world through community engagement and activism. It was Abbie Flanagan, the CCSJ's Assistant Director for Outreach & Advocacy who was among the first people to hear of the proposal:
“Some of the leadership from York Road Partnership raised this concern about a proposed crematorium at a local funeral home, so that’s how we were made aware here at Loyola.”
Pictured: Carissa Cordero '24, The CCSJ's organizations Sustainability Program Coordinator
Concerned for both the school and York Road, she and the student interns of CCSJ set out to try and stop this crematory from being built. One proactive intern was Loyola senior Carissa Cordero, who was the CCSJ's organizations Sustainability Program Coordinator. She was made aware of the ordeal in the Summer of 2023 during intern training:
"A part of that training is: they took us to a panel of members of the community that are involved in the [opposing of the] crematorium. And they just sort of shared about sort of the process and where things are and how community organizing has been a part of that."
Their efforts initially took the form of canvassing, which had them give out fliers informing the local community of the serious health risks. They made sure to stay communicated with their contacts through York Road to work together on the matter. While Carissa participated in the canvassing, she took her advocacy one step further by journaling her efforts into a documentary, which was done in part for her Environmental Journalism class. Besides the canvassing, Carissa's documentary tells the story of Cindy Camp, a board director for the York Road Partnership, who the CCSJ's collaborates with frequently. Camp's story stood out to Carissa, as she notes:
"Her home is just a couple hundred feet away from the crematorium. And so the health of her and her elderly family and her children as well would be impacted as well, so she was able to tell her story."
Pictured: A double sided flier the CCSJ would hand out concerning the dangers of cremation on people and the environment.
Their work would accumulate to more than this, as they would soon attend a various amount of meetings geared up in shirts and buttons to protest the crematoriums creation. This included a Maryland Department of Environmental Services meeting and committee hearings in Annapolis, all to advocate for bill SB0893. This bill would give guidelines as to how close a crematorium could be to a residential house. If passed, it would effectively eliminate the chances of the crematorium being built. The student interns were able to do a lot through these events alone, as Abbie quotes:
"We had students actually submit testimony on that. In favor of that bill we had students go to Annapolis and attend the committee hearings on that bill, we had students meet with legislators--along with community members--to work alongside of our community to show our support of that bill."
Pictured: CCSJ Assistant Director Abbie Flanagan holding a T-Shirt worn by the student interns when protesting against the crematorium at the meetings held by the Maryland Department of Environmental Services and General Assembly.
Pictured: A pin-back button the student interns wore when protesting against the crematorium at the meetings held by the Maryland Department of Environmental Services and General Assembly.
Carissa was able to meet and interview many politicians through these meetings, including Baltimore Councilman Mark Conway and Maryland state senator Mary Washington. They were advocates for SB0893, and while Carissa was happy to have their support, her biggest takeaway spoke volumes:
"I think it's just like, cool to have face-to-face conversations with these people and you realize how like, normal they are... It really makes advocacy feel more accessible."
Unfortunately for Abbie, Carissa, and the rest of the CCSJ, the bill did not make it past the General Assembly. With no legal opposition, the crematorium just needs approval before being able to start building. The CCSJ members are not deterred by this loss, as Carissa highlights the strengthened relations that could continue moving forward:
"I think there's been a lot of really valuable connection between Loyola and the York Road community as well... And I hope that that can extend to other issues in the future."
As for Abbie, she believes there is still a lot to fight for, as she concludes:
"I think there's sort of always room to keep going. I think we don't reach this spot and say like 'Oh well, we lost, let's move on'... We need to look at what are some other things we can use our advocacy around to create safer, healthier communities."
The entrance to Loyola University Maryland's Center for Community Service and Justice (CCSJ).
