In my church we sing a song that goes like this, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine.” That’s exactly what me and hundreds of other protestors did in Columbia, Maryland Friday evening for the “Lights for Liberty” prayer vigil. We let our lights shine in support of immigrants in Howard County. We also protested against Trump’s mass deportation raids that were supposed to begin last weekend. The vigil in Columbia was one of many vigils all over the nation.
The vigil took place at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center and was filled to capacity. Actually, the turnout shocked me. I didn’t expect hundreds of residents to show up on a hot Friday night in support of those seeking refuge in the community. Some of the speakers even expressed their surprise. The center was so full that they had two overflow rooms. I sat in one of them. The vigil began with an interfaith prayer service in which a rabbi, imam and Christian minister prayed for those seeking asylum in the United States. We also heard the story of an undocumented man who was captured by ICE after the car he was a passenger in got into an accident. He explained that when he couldn’t produce identification, the local police turned him over to ICE. He told us that his two daughters kept asking him when he was coming home during his incarceration. Thankfully, with the help of organizations who assist immigrants, he was able to remain with his family in the U.S.
Overall, the vigil was extremely moving. It encouraged me to see so many people standing for migrant children and families. The sense of unity in the place was also inspirational. My hope is that people’s passion to help immigrants lasts and transforms into real change in this country. The organizers offered ways we could help including purchasing groceries or running errands for those afraid to leave their homes. This is a start; however, real systemic change needs to take place.