Dear Family and Friends,
I am writing to remind you that the Celebration of Kikanza’s Life will be held on the Altadena mountainside land that Kikanza loved so dearly, on Saturday April 27, from 3PM to 6PM.
Everyone who knew Kikanza and wants to join us to honor her is welcome to attend. Details below.
Many of you have asked if there is any way to help. One suggestion is to join us in honoring Kikanza with a donation to help realize her long held vision of purchasing and licensing a permanent home for the early childhood school she founded, Village Playgarden.
for more details on Kikanza’s vision and to make a donation please visit: http://ffnd.co/JnS6Zk
We will also be designing and building a beautiful shrine and meditation corner on the Skylane property in honor of Kikanza. Some of her ashes will be placed there and it will be a public spot on the land where anyone can visit to sit and remember Kikanza. Part of the fundraiser funds will support building that area on the land.
Another way to help is with the food and drinks for the Celebration. If you would like to participate, please go to the sign-up genius that Lois Williamson put together and sign up for various foods, wine, beer, beverages: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4FAAA72AAAF85-49129414-kikanzas
Details and logistics for the Celebration:
Join us for a Celebration of Kikanza’s Life
3636 Skylane Dr. Altadena, CA 91001
April 27, Saturday, 3PM to 6PM
Parking: Please park ONLY on Canon Blvd., Devonwood Rd., or Loma Alta Drive and arrive with enough time to walk in to the Skylane property.
Please walk in using the hiking and horse trail at the top of Canon Blvd, walking westward on the trail from Canon Blvd. to the Celebration location.
Please Do Not park on the small private streets: Vinehill, Skylane, nor Anna Maria, please! You’ll drive my neighbors crazy!
Warm clothes and a blanket: We will not have enough seats for everyone, so please bring a blanket to sit on during the program and dress warmly!
Childcare: We will provide childcare in the Skylane classroom outdoor area. Children are also welcome to attend, but we ask that parents keep them close and use the childcare if they become become disregulated.
Details about Kikanza’s death:
If you have not heard yet, I am writing to share with you our sad news that Kikanza Ramsey-Ray, my wife and life partner of 30 years, and mother of our three adult children, Malcolm, Simone, and Aquila, passed away on March 4, 2024 after a year-and-a-half fight against uterine cancer.
Kikanza and I had tried every treatment under the sun and her death was a shock to us and to a wide community of family and friends. We were all so sure she would pull through, even if it was to only have a handful more years!
We were blessed to have several days to say goodbye to Kikanza once we learned that her death was imminent, and dozens of family from around the country and close friends were able to gather at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, California to spend some beautiful last days with her.
Kikanza had a profound impact on so many people that she knew in the course of her 54 years and she will be deeply missed by those of us who had the privilege of knowing her well. She had a big presence in several different worlds:
the political world of Left community organizing and training young organizers for 10 years at the Labor/Community Strategy Center of Los Angeles, www.thestrategycenter.org
her spiritual world connected to Sai Anantam ashram and her guru Swamini Turiyasangitananda,
and her world as an early childhood teacher and founder of the nature-based, Waldorf-inspired kindergarten Village Playgarden in Altadena, California. www.villageplaygarden.org
I had the privilege and joy to join Kikanza in all three worlds, as well as raise our three children in a parenting world of homebirth, progressive schooling, homeschooling, camping, travelling with our kids, building a diverse community of like-minded parents, and visiting extended family on both our sides from LA to Mexico City to Chicago to Michigan. Kikanza and I were drawn to each other because she and we always followed our passions for serving others, creating family and community, and always listening to the spirit world. We always figured out how to make a living after pursuing those passions. Which meant we always ended up doing work that was fulfilling and positive in the world and we were always co-workers, co-founders of Village Playgarden, co-teachers, co-parents. Yes, we were together for 30 years, and we also literally spent nearly every hour, day, and month of those 30 years together. Some folks thought we were odd. 😊
Following her death, we brought her home for a three-day open-casket vigil in our home with close family and friends. Our son Malcolm built the pine coffin that she was cremated in.
With much love and appreciation,
Geoff
Village Playgarden
Geoff Ramsey-Ray
Director
3636 Skylane Dr.
Altadena, CA 91001
Cell: 213-700-9107
geoff@villageplaygarden.org
www.villageplaygarden.org