9/11 remembered on Boston Common

Emerson students light candles as part of the 9/11 vigil on Thursday, September 11, 2014, at the Boston Common Bandstand. (Photo by Michelle Kwong ’15)

A large group of Emerson and Boston community members gathered at the Parkman Bandstand in the Boston Common the evening of September 11 to commemorate the anniversary of the terrorism attacks that shook the world 13 years ago.

Abbie Penfield-Cyr ’18 holds a candle during the 9/11 vigil. (Photo by Michelle Kwong ’15)

Led by Associate Professor Gregory Payne, students from the Communication Politics and Law Association, and Harvard’s Buddhist chaplain, Lama Migmar Testen, the group prayed, shared thoughts, and lit candles to remember the people who died that fateful day.

Harvard’s Buddhist chaplain, Lama Migmar Testen, meets with students at the 9/11 vigil on Thursday, September 11, 2014, at Boston Common. (Photo by Michelle Kwong ’15)

On hand was Emerson and CPLA alumna Tita Puopolo, ’96, MA ’97, whose mother, Sonia Mercedez, died in the attacks. Puopolo wrote about the life-changing experience in the book Sonia’s Ring. Also lost that day were two other Emerson community members: faculty member Myra Aronson and alumna Jane Simpkin ’88.

Tita Puopolo ’96, MA ’97, speaks at the 9/11 vigil on Boston Common on Thursday, September 11, 2014. Puopolo lost her mother, Sonia Mercedez, in the 9/11 attacks and wrote a book about the experience. (Photo by Michelle Kwong ’15)