KJS Legacy Project

01/01/2026

As we say goodbye to 2025, all of us at the KJS Legacy Project want to thank everyone who supported our foundation this year. In July, we marked the 10th anniversary of Kevin's passing with a very successful and emotional gathering of friends, family, colleagues, and supporters in Washington, DC. The energy that was generated at that event showed us that time has not diminished the love and respect that people had for Kevin and the work he had dedicated his life to. It also demonstrated the determination that our growing circle of friends have to keep his memory alive and to continue to expand the legacy he left behind.

2026 will mark five years since we launched our foundation with the mission to cultivate the kind of world Kevin envisioned - a world where the disenfranchised and marginalized have an equal chance to pursue their dreams. The KJS Legacy Project aims to continue his life’s work with the same passion and humanity he brought to this world.

Through scholarships, internships, and student research opportunities, we hope to do our part in leveling the playing field for fellow citizens looking to get involved in government, politics, and public service - people who are looking to follow in Kevin's footsteps from all walks of life, not simply those with significant financial means. This mission spans Kevin’s hometown of Trumbull, CT and his adopted home of Washington, D.C.

From the beginning, your generous support has allowed us to grow the work we are doing - to support more students, to provide more work opportunities and to expand into supporting student research. We are growing the American University endowed scholarship and internship. We are nearing completion of an endowment for the Trumbull High School Scholarship. And last summer, we funded our first student/faculty research project at AU. We can't thank all you enough for your continued support for our mission - it is truly the wind beneath our wings.

Our entire Board would like to wish you a very Happy New Year. We are living through a very stressful time for those pursuing careers in government, political science, and public service, but we feel that the work we are doing is all the more important as we follow Kevin's desire to seek an even more perfect Union for America. ❤️🙏

Learn more at http://kjslegacyproject.org

If you supported us this year, please leave us a ❤️ or a comment, we'd love to thank you personally.

07/20/2025

On 4th of July weekend, Bevacqua Sutherland and dozens of Sutherland's friends gathered in Washington, DC to mark ten years since Kevin's passing and to honor the impact of his legacy. The event - the KJSLP Foundation's first in-person event - was a resounding success. It capped off a weekend of cookouts and fireworks and dinners where this amazing family that Kevin created got a chance to reconnect, catch up, and rededicate ourselves to the mission of extending Kevin's legacy of public service - seeking a more perfect Union in a profoundly imperfect world.

Our event took place in the Back Bar at Right Proper Brewery in the Shaw neighborhood of DC. We had a successful silent auction of some of Kevin's photographs along with other donated items. There was good food and drink, a lot of hugs, and more than a few tears. It was exactly as expected - very emotional, but at the same time energizing. Kevin's spirit certainly filled the room! It was great to see everyone who attended and we thank everyone who donated to support our mission.

We want to thank all the members of the KJSLP Board for their continued support. We want to especially recognize the Event Planning Committee that put in the amazing work to make this event a reality: Hageldonr, Gosar, Korten, Cipriano, Douglas Sutherland, and Bevacqua Sutherland.

If you'd like to learn more about the KJSLP or join us in supporting the next generation of public servants, please go to:

http://kjslegacyproject.org

06/08/2025

Join us at Right Proper Brewing on July 6 to gather with friends and celebrate Kevin's life and legacy. RSVP here:

Join us on July 6th as we will commemorate ten years since Kevin Sutherland's passing and celebrate the enduring impact of his vision for a more just and equitable wor...

12/31/2024

Wishing all our friends, family, and donors a Happy New Year!🎉🎊🥂🎆 Click below to learn about our 1X match to year-end-donations or go to: https://finch-kumquat-jset.squarespace.com/take-action.

As we bid farewell to 2024, all of us at the KJS Legacy Project would like to thank all our donors for their generous support over the last three years. As we look ahead to 2025, we would like to wish you all a Healthy, Happy, & Prosperous New Year!

12/03/2024

December 3rd, 2024 is Giving Tuesday. Please click below to learn more about the work we are doing at the KJS Legacy Project. I hope you will consider supporting our effort to extend Kevin Sutherland's legacy! ❤️❤️

“Now more than ever, we need young people following in Kevin’s footsteps - pursuing careers in public service for the right reasons. We hope you will consider making a Giving Tuesday donation to support the KJS Legacy Project as we work to extend Kevin’s legacy - still searching for that more ...

10/14/2024

The KJS Legacy Project would like to thank everyone who donated to our Summer 2024 Outreach. With your help, we are are expanding our reach in an effort to support students who are pursuing public service careers "for the right reasons." Learn more by clicking below.

In July, we announced the Summer 2024 KJS Legacy Project Outreach . We set a goal of raising $5,000 by the end of September. With your help, we exceeded our goal! These funds will allow us to expand the impact that our foundation can make on the next generation of leaders who are following in Kevin

09/10/2024

The KJS Legacy Project is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit foundation dedicated to extending the public service legacy of Kevin Sutherland. We have established a scholarship and an internship at American University which supports academic achievement and work experience on Capitol Hill for students following in Kevin's footsteps - pursuing a career in public service. We also support a scholarship at Kevin's high school in Trumbull Connecticut and next year we are launching a summer student/faculty research program at AU. This summer, we are hoping to raise $5,000 to support our mission. Click below to learn more and to support our work. Thank you! ❤❤

In July, we announced the Summer 2024 KJS Legacy Project Outreach . We set a goal of raising $5,000 by the end of September. This fundraising drive is aimed at expanding the impact that our foundation can make on the students who will lead our nation into the future! Every dollar raised will be us

07/11/2024

One week ago, we marked America's 248th birthday. Amid cookouts and fireworks there was also an overarching fear that our nation's long experiment in representative democracy might be in jeopardy. For those of us who knew and loved Kevin Sutherland, there was also the acknowledgement that another year had passed since his beautiful life was cut short and he was taken from us.

Time marches on, but we have not stopped fighting for the things that Kevin believed in and we continue to work to support the next generation that is following in his footsteps - young people like Kevin who are smart and serious and dedicated to making a difference in this troubled world. We need them more than ever. Will you join us in this mission? Click below to learn more. ❤🤍💙

On July 4th, we observed another sad milestone…it has been nine years since Kevin’s tragic passing. This year, we seek to expand Kevin’s legacy with the goal of making our impact even greater…Toward that end, we are launching the Summer 2024 KJSLP Outreach. During the months of July, August ...

11/28/2023

November 28th is Giving Tuesday. Please click below to learn more about the KJS Legacy Project. I hope you will consider supporting our effort to extend Kevin Sutherland's legacy! ❤️❤️

“We hope you will consider donating to the KJS Legacy Project as we work to extend Kevin’s legacy by supporting students following in his footsteps - pursuing public service in search of a more perfect Union!”

01/01/2023

When we set out to design a logo for the KJS Legacy Project, we were looking for something that reflected Kevin’s character as well as the mission we were setting out to fulfill. A hummingbird immediately came to mind

“Like a hummingbird dipping its beak into a pond, Kevin’s life is still sending out beautiful ripples into the world - just as it did when he was still with us!”
Terry always loved hummingbirds and so over the years, Kevin and I would give her hummingbird mementos on special occasions: pictures or ceramic pieces or ornaments. They can be found throughout our home and now that Kevin is gone, they are even more important symbols than ever.

Hummingbirds have long held a great deal of symbolism for many and much of it reflects Kevin’s kind and gentle nature. Just as Kevin could show up and pull you out of a slump and put a smile on your face, the sight of a hummingbird appearing out of nowhere can make you stop and smile and marvel at the beauty all around us.

Hummingbirds, in their seemingly carefree and happy flight, remind us to live in the moment and enjoy life's simple pleasures - something Kevin seemed to have perfected as he grew into adulthood - just ask his friends and colleagues.

Hummingbirds have long held a special place in the folklore of native cultures. The Aztecs considered them messengers between this world and the next. In Native American culture, hummingbirds are often viewed as healers and a source of love, good luck, and joy. So it was with Kevin.

While there may be no direct mention of hummingbirds in the Bible, their presence is often seen as a sign from Heaven - a signal from a lost, loved one sending a message that they are not far away or reminding us that there is still wonder and beauty in this world even after they have gone. Terry and I have witnessed several of these signs over the last few years.

Like a hummingbird dipping its beak into a pond, Kevin’s life is still sending out beautiful ripples into the world - just as it did when he was still with us. And this is our mission: to reinforce those ripples and keep them moving outward - touching even more lives and inspiring them to follow in his footsteps.

To learn more about the KJS Legacy Project go to: kjslegacyproject.org.

To support our mission go to: kjslegacyproject.org/take-action

11/28/2022

Welcome to the KJS Legacy Project!

Seven and a half years ago, Terry Sutherland and I lost our beloved son Kevin to a senseless act of violence. He was just 24 years old - in the prime of his life and just starting his political career in our nation’s capital. In the wake of his death, we got to meet many of Kevin’s friends, professors, and colleagues in Washington, D.C. and we discovered that while away at American University, our son had blossomed into a trusted and respected friend, mentor, and leader.

Many of his fellow AU alums told us how he had befriended them in school - encouraging them to take on new challenges, helping them through tough times, and supporting them on their journey toward successful careers after college. His professors expressed their sadness over the loss of such a promising young man who appeared destined to make a difference in a world desperately in need of his talents. His coworkers described someone who was a go-to individual who believed in public service - someone constantly seeking that more perfect Union our Founding Fathers spoke about in our Constitution. The stories we hear from all of Kevin’s associates made us exceedingly proud.

Soon after Kevin’s death, a Scholarship Fund and an Internship Fund were established in his memory at American University to support future students seeking careers in public service. With the help of many of Kevin’s family members, friends, and colleagues, those funds were endowed to provide perpetual support on into the future. To date, four scholarships have been awarded along with two internships on Capitol Hill.

Over the last seven years, we have seen how impactful this financial support has been for students seeking to make a difference, especially those who might not always have the financial means to complete their four-year degree or to gain vital experience on Capitol Hill where internships are often unpaid or low-paid positions. We have also seen the lasting effect of Kevin’s story on students who seek to follow his example. And so Terry and I and many of Kevin’s friends and co-workers decided we could do more to help others to follow in Kevin’s footsteps. We are proud to announce the establishment of the KJS Legacy Project, Inc. to expand the support we are able to provide to future leaders.

If you knew Kevin or have heard his story or you simply value the important part public service plays in our democracy, we hope you will join us in our effort to encourage young people to get involved in public service for the right reasons. Through your support, we will expand the Kevin Joseph Sutherland Memorial Scholarship and the Kevin J. Sutherland Internship at AU. We will create a scholarship at Kevin’s high school for students seeking a college degree in public affairs. And we will provide recognition to individuals who are already displaying a dedication to serving others and being a part of something bigger than themselves. Learn more about our foundation by clicking:

https://www.kjslegacyproject.org/

Take action by clicking:

https://www.kjslegacyproject.org/take-action

Together, we can make this a better world for all of us.