Construction underway in Ogden for ‘Weber Remembers: The 9/11 Project’

OGDEN, Utah — The 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is quickly approaching, and while many of them were just babies when it happened, a group of Weber State students are helping create an impressive new memorial.

The exhibit comes at a very timely moment now as its creators said it’s not just an opportunity to teach the younger generation about Sept. 11, but it’s an opportunity to learn how to build where we are.

“We had no idea months ago what today would like look,” said Jennie Taylor, founder of the Major Brent Taylor Foundation.

When Jennie Taylor speaks, it’s from experience.

“How important it would be to look at what a refugee is and why they might flee their own country,” Taylor said. “How important today it would be to understand freedom, hope, and sacrifice and service.”

That’s exactly what Taylor hopes students at Ogden Weber Technical College will take away from Friday.

The 2×4’s and screws are quickly taking shape.

“It was definitely worth the time,” said Ruben Romero, a student volunteer. “I feel like it was helping out the people, so it was fun.”

This is the framework for the upcoming multimedia exhibit that will walk visitors through the events of Sept. 11.

According to Taylor, the art installation will include more than 300 photo boards, each measuring 4 feet by 8 feet.

The board will be set up to create a timeline of events, beginning with the late 1990s, and taking the viewer on a journey into the early 2000s, the morning of Sept. 11, 2011 and its immediate aftermath.

“The immersive Museum Exhibit will also feature 20 television screens and 30 areas of directional sound, all enhancing the audio visual experience of the museum,” a press release said.

“It will show how it all started and what happened,” said Romero.

Students like Ruben Romero were born after the 9/11 attacks.

“It’ll be good to learn a little bit more than I know,” he said.

But this week’s events in Afghanistan have made the realities of our past their present.

“What hit me the most is a lot of people are trying to escape their country,” said Irma Solorio Madrigal, another student volunteer. “I felt really sad about it because not everybody can go, and cross over — not everybody can catch a plane.”

The first ever “Weber Remembers: The 9/11 Project” is co-chaired by Taylor and Johnny Ferry, vice president of Ogden-based Honeyville, Inc.

Ferry designed the exhibit and worked with the historical department at Weber State University and several local and national media outlets to gather photos and relevant content, according to a press release.

Taylor said she wants people to leave feeling inspired to help others.

“I’m going to let it motivate me to never say never, to never forget, and to never even consider whether or not this was worth it. It has to be worth it,” Taylor said.

Taylor has been an advocate since her husband was killed in Afghanistan in 2018.

She hopes the project will help us process where we go from here.

“There are men and women dying, trying to get into this country. Men, like my husband, service members throughout history, have died trying to give someone else the opportunity to chase the American Dream. The American Dream is not American, it’s human. Life, liberty the pursuit of happiness, we don’t own that as the United States, we are just very fortunate to have that,” Taylor said.

Weber Remembers: The 9/11 Project opens on Sept. 9.

The exhibit will be hosted at the Weber County Fairgrounds on September 9, 10, and 11.

• Field Trip Schedule:
  • Sept. 9-10: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

• Saturday Ceremony Schedule:
  • Roy City Sunrise Service
  • Fire Ride from SLC: 10 a.m.
  • Fallen Firefighter Ceremony: 12 p.m. (Noon)

• Fairgrounds Exhibits Schedule:
  • Sept. 9-10: 4 – 8 p.m.
  • Sept. 11: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.