Lulu Livingston was always ‘at your service.’ Loved ones remember her fierce advocacy
A fierce advocate for those experiencing homelessness in Kansas City died weeks after being shot in her apartment in January, said close friends mourning her loss.
Lulu Livingston, 44, born Davina Meyer, is being remembered as an unrelenting force for the unhoused. She experienced homelessness herself before securing housing around two years ago. In the years she spent without a home, she was a leader who helped organize the Kansas City Homeless Union.
Her efforts, friends say, touched hundreds of lives.
“Everybody loved her because she just spoke up for them,” said Alina Heart, a friend and fellow advocate. “When they couldn’t speak up, she would advocate for them. She made sure their voices were heard.”
On Jan. 13, Livingston was critically shot in her apartment after an argument with a man who had been homeless, according to Jackson County Circuit Court records. Livingston’s boyfriend told police she was letting the man stay at their apartment for a week, according to court records.
The man who allegedly shot Livingston, Steve Coleman Jr., 42, was arrested and charged in connection with her injuries the next day. On Jan. 29, doctors told detectives that Livingston had died from her injuries, and police began to investigate the case as a homicide.
“Prosecutors will review the additional findings for consideration of amended (or) additional charges related to the homicide,” said Alayna Gonzalez, a spokeswoman with the Kansas City Police Department.
A grand jury in Jackson County indicted Coleman Jr. on Feb. 3 on charges of first degree assault, third degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of harassment, two counts of kidnapping and five counts of armed criminal action.
The case has been delayed while Coleman receives a mental evaluation, according to court records.
In the days after her death, Livingston’s friends reflected on the impact her generosity had on the community.
“She was a very loving and caring person. She always put everybody before herself,” said Ken Simard, a friend who Lulu helped secure temporary housing. “Not only the homeless community, but society at large has lost a valuable member.”
Lulu Livingston — at your service
“Lulu Livingston — at your service.”
It was how she answered the phone. And it was how those who knew Livingston would introduce her to others.
Heart, who served with Livingston in an organization called Kansas City Heroes, met her at an encampment outside City Hall during the COVID-19 pandemic. A grassroots effort brought the need for permanent affordable housing to the front lawn of city leaders.
Livingston’s leadership led to change — at the community and individual level, Heart said.
“She would be like a bridge to services or to other organizations for somebody who was not strong at that moment to voice for themselves what they needed,” Heart said.
Livingston’s ultimate goal was to get people into housing, and in many instances, by working with people on an individual level, she was able to at least temporarily accomplish that feat, Heart said.
Livingston’s voice was known in the city council chambers and at area housing meetings. She worked with organizations, donors and volunteers to coordinate housing opportunities wherever possible.
Simard was one among many who were profoundly impacted by Livingston’s generosity. After he was shot in the neck two years ago by another man experiencing homelessness, Simard was released from a hospital without resources for a healthy recovery.
“On January 13, 2023, Lulu saved my life,” Simard said. “I was released from the hospital with nowhere to go except to my camp, where I would have likely been dead.”
“There was no way I would have been able to clean my wound,” Simard said. “Lulu came and took care of my wound. She kept it clean for me. She really took me in and did a lot for me.”
Over the years, Simard and Livingston grew closer through their shared experiences of being unhoused and advocating for sustainable change.
Simard said Livingston was known to always carry bags of clothes during the cold months so people could pick out what they needed.
There were times Simard took her up on that offer.
“The need is big because with everybody that is out there — everybody thinks that we want to be homeless because this that and the other — no,” Simard said. “As for me, I became homeless because with social security checks, I couldn’t afford rent and other living expenses. It got to the point where I had to go… I was put out. I became homeless and I was moving around constantly.”
Livingston was known as a “mom” to many in the homeless community, friends said. She truly knew what it meant to be homeless, Heart said, and that there is more than meets the eye in every situation.
Her legacy lives on because of that, Simard said.
“I would just introduce her — this is Lulu Livingston, at your service, and she can help you. She can help you,” Simard said. “Talk to her, give her your time, and she will see it through to help you out. She is one that will not give up on you and she will not turn her back. She would not turn her back on anyone.”
‘Part of a community’
After Livingston had secured housing, she recognized it can be hard for people to adjust from living without a home, Heart said. So, she worked tirelessly to help people feel like they were part of a community.
She followed up, she checked on those that secured housing, and she made a point to visit often, Heart said.
“She advocated for better solutions that would result in better outcomes,” Heart said. “She understood that the same solutions do not work for everyone.”
Anton Washington, a friend of Livingston’s, said on Facebook that her unwavering commitment to change inspired local governments to act and others to join the fight against homelessness.
“But Lulu is more than just a advocate — she’s a mother, daughter, friend, and game-changer,” Washington said in a Facebook post. “Her infectious spirit and compassionate heart have touched the lives of everyone she’s met.”
A memorial has been planned to honor Livingston and celebrate her life at 4 p.m. Feb. 11 at Independence Boulevard Christian Church, 606 Gladstone Avenue. Attendees have been asked to wear purple, Livingston’s favorite color.
“As we celebrate Lulu’s life, we’re reminded that she would want us to continue her work, spreading love, kindness, and compassion throughout our community,” Washington said on Facebook. “So, let’s come together to honor her legacy and reaffirm our commitment to carrying on her mission.”
