In Arcata, a vigil will be held to mourn the lives lost in Gaza

Two friends come together to organize a vigil in the wake of the violence in the Middle East. One is Palestinian and the other is Jewish. They both want to show solidarity for Palestinians by hosting this vigil. 

“It’s hard to give a brief summary because there’s a long history as to why we’re doing this,” said Jamilla, one of the organizers of the vigil. “But ultimately, Palestine is under an illegal military occupation by Israel, and Gaza is actually under an illegal siege as well.”

Sarah Wellington, another organizer, adds that this vigil is for voices to be heard and listened to. 

“I have a responsibility as a Jewish person living under the U.S. government to speak out and to call for justice and call for the end of the U.S.-funded Israeli apartheid in Palestine,” Wellington said.

Organizers said it is important to show up for their community and advocate for basic human rights. 

“Palestinian and pro-Palestinian human rights voices are systematically censored and silenced by the media and so we feel it’s important to show up for our community, our people, that we are advocating for their basic human rights,” Jamilla said. “It’s the least that we can do to use whatever voice and privilege that we have to speak for people that are not able to speak for themselves.”

The vigil will take place at the Arcata Plaza on Saturday, October 14 starting at noon. 

“We’re both mourning because there’s a genocide happening and the genocide and the killing is happening in Palestine and Israel and it’s horrific,” Wellington said.