By Kelly Broder, Special to the Reporter
Above: Theodore Stocker attended the vigil with his seven-year-old daughter, Juniper Stories. Kelly Broder photo
Soft rainbow lights illuminated the sanctuary ceiling, and a purple glow danced across the guitars and keyboard of the 1630 Band. The group – named for the year that the church and Dorchester were founded – performed Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.”
The lighting and the music endorsed a vigil gathering of the congregation of Unitarian Universalist First Parish Dorchester last Thursday evening (Feb. 19), where some 20 attendees in the pews – careful not to drip wax from handheld candles – learned about immigration support organizations and sang protest songs as acknowledgment of the deadly violence in Minneapolis involving by federal agents.
Their focus was on Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, American citizens who had been shot dead in separate encounters on the streets of Minneapolis last month by agents of their government.
Their fate and the widespread civil protest against federal forces in that city sparked both outrage and support across the country.
The situation there also ignited fear in Boston, where more than a quarter of residents are foreign-born.
Prayers, moments of silence, reflections about hope were peppered between performances of the Underground Railroad song, “Wade in the Water,” Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ In the Wind” and other protest arrangements.
“We have witnessed the death of folks who just want to be present and say, ‘Have a heart,’” said Julia Thompson Martinez, a church member and immigrant from Honduras (pictured above). “We are here this evening because people do care. We care.”
Congregant Betsy Miessner spoke about her volunteer work with the LUCE Immigrant Justice Network, which documents ICE sightings and informs the public. She has been trained in how to verify sightings of ICE officers and share them with the community.
“Know Your Rights” cards were handed out, along with whistles to signal an ICE sighting. The cards advise those who see ICE officers to call the LUCE hotline at 617-370-5023. For those confronted by officers, LUCE recommends not allowing them into your home without a signed warrant, not answering any questions, and not signing any documents.
“We wake up every morning, [and ask], ‘When is ICE coming to Boston?’” said Ardis Vaughan, the parish treasurer. “They’re in East Boston. When are they going to come to Dorchester?’”
Susan Lush, the elected clerk of the church and main organizer of the vigil, said events like this can help the cause of immigrant safety, even in a small way. “If nothing else, it makes you feel more agency,” she said. “There are things that you can do, and at least you can let your feelings be known in a way that is non-violent.”
Theodore Stocker, a board member of the church attended the vigil with his seven-year-old daughter, Juniper Stories. “It is nice to see that there’s a big feeling of solidarity,” he said.
Because the parish is small, Lush said, she was worried about a low turnout at Thursday’s vigil. But there will be more events like this, she noted, adding:
“This is the first attempt, and I’m sure we’ll learn from it, and hopefully be able to apply it in other ways in the future,” Lush said. “So, I see it as just a beginning.”
This story is part of a partnership between the Dorchester Reporter and the Boston University Department of Journalism.
