On Saturday, July 23, members of Youth Activist of Alameda (YAOA) held a vigil for victims of gun violence in America and to provide a space for the local community to grieve following the mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York, and the murder of Jayland Walker. The event was organized by YAOA members Raquel Williams and Vinny Camarillo.

The vigil began with a moment of silence, followed by a libation ceremony led by Ms. Robbie. The event organizers shared the poem “Nineteen & Two” by Los Angeles-based poet Sofía Aguilar. The poem begins, “I am mourning 19 children I never knew”. Peter and Wendy Horikoshi performed a cover of “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield.

The vigil closed with a candle lighting and flowers were distributed to be laid upon the altar — a space reserved for people to leave flowers and messages to honor those that lost their lives to gun violence. The altar will stay up at the Chochenyo Park gazebo for the next month.

YAOA is a youth-led organization that strives for social justice in Alameda, starting with racial inequality and police reform. To learn more about YAOA, visit https://youthactivistsofalameda.carrd.co.