Elgin Candlelight Vigil Shows Solidarity, Support for Orlando Victims
In the early morning hours of Sunday, June 12, 2016, a man entered Pulse, an Orlando, FL, nightclub at closing time after Latin night at the establishment. He opened fire, killed 49 individuals and injured 53 more. This horrific attack focused on members of the local LGBTQ community.
To counteract this atrocity, Elgin City of Peace, The Coalition of Elgin Religious Leaders and the Elgin Human Relations Commission invited the community to stand in solidarity with and show support for Orlando’s LGBTQ victims and their families at a Candlelight Vigil held at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, June 19, 2016. The vigil took place in the plaza between Robert Gilliam Civic Center and the Hemmens Cultural Arts Center, 150 Dexter Court in Elgin.
“As many of us woke up to the news on Sunday, I remembered it had just been a week since the program at Gail Borden library, “Not in Our Town” about hate crimes. I felt it was important to gather as a community, to support the victims, to provide a space to mourn and to respond to this tragedy across the wide diversity that is Elgin,” said Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein, one of the organizers of the Candlelight Vigil.
All were welcome to light a candle, sing a song, offer healing and hopeful prayers of peace, show support for the LGBTQ, the Hispanic and Muslim communities and stand in silence with area faith and community leaders. Community members brought their own lights (candle, flashlight or phone) and bring their compassion and love of people of all faiths, all colors of skin, all sexual orientations.
Speakers included Elgin Mayor David Kaptain, 16th Circuit Court Judge John Dalton, recipient of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity “Community Leadership Award”, Mahzer Ahmed of the Batavia Islamic Center, Congregation Kneseth Israel-Elgin Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein, the Rev. Denise Tracy of the Coalition of Elgin Religious Leaders and Elisa Lara, president elect of the Elgin Hispanic Network and Human Relations commissioner.
SOURCE: city of Elgin website
Read More
- The Courier-News: Elgin community leaders to hold vigil for Orlando shooting victims
