Mirsad “Mike” Causevic survived six months in a concentration camp during the Bosnian War. He lost two brothers, escaped with his life, and rebuilt everything from scratch in Chicago. Now, he wants to give something back—not for himself, but for the 3,176 lives lost in his hometown of Prijedor, and for the tens of thousands of Bosnian refugees who made Chicago home.

Causevic isn’t asking for money. The Bosnian community is ready to fund the memorial. What’s needed is far more basic—but often harder to secure: a public location, and the city’s permission to build.

He’s designed a powerful monument: a man imprisoned behind glass, his head bowed, family reaching for him from the other side but unable to touch. It’s a symbol of what was lost—connection, freedom, dignity—and who was lost: fathers, mothers, children, neighbors.

This memorial belongs in public view. Not tucked away in a cultural center. Not hidden from those who most need to see it. It’s about awareness, not just remembrance. About ensuring this history is not erased or overlooked by the next generation.

We urge the City of Chicago and 40th Ward leadership to work with Mirsad Causevic and approve a public site for this memorial—one that honors those who were killed, educates the broader public, and recognizes the journey of thousands of Bosnian refugees who now call this city home.

Sign now to stand with Mirsad and help bring this monument—and the stories it holds—into the public eye.