-On January 8th, 2011, a gunman shot nineteen people assembled to meet Congresswoman Giffords in Tucson, Arizona ... this was the first time a US House member was targeted
-To bring healing and a sense of closure, the January 8th Memorial Foundation sought a permanent Memorial to commemorate the tragedy and create a symbol of hope, celebrating the community’s resilience ... they also sought a place for social discourse for future generations.
-The Memorial would be within El Presidio Park, adjacent to the County Courthouse