YAKIMA, Wash. – The Yakima community gathered to hold a candlelit vigil for Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman who was shot and killed in Minneapolis by an ICE agent. The vigil took place at Millennium Plaza and was one of many held across the nation.
A few dozen community members lit candles in remembrance of Good. The event emphasized unity and the need for change at the local level.
Former Toppenish City Council member Eziquiel Morfín addressed the crowd, expressing his belief that the current Yakima City Council does not equally represent the city. He anticipates significant changes in upcoming elections. Morfín urged residents to engage with their local, state and federal representatives.
Christina Gonzalez Torres from the Central Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce spoke about the sadness events like the one in Minnesota bring to her community. She emphasized the importance of standing up for each other through community vigils.
“Unity, awareness. Again, the majority of these individuals are hard-working individuals that have families,” Gonzalez Torres said. “We vote to put certain individuals into office, and who is being represented at this time?”
During her speech, Gonzalez Torres also encouraged the crowd to “resist” and initiated a “No More ICE” chant. She expressed a poignant sentiment by saying, “We didn’t cross the border, the border crossed us.”
In addition to the vigil, the Yakima Valley will host anti-ICE protests this weekend. Events are planned for Saturday at the Tieton and 40th Avenue intersection in Yakima and on Sunday at the Walmart in Sunnyside.
