On Thursday, Sept. 4, as twilight settled over the Chattahoochee River, residents from Phenix City and Columbus, Ga., gathered on the 13th Street Bridge for a poignant candlelight vigil honoring victims of gun violence.
Organized by Indivisible Columbus & Phenix City in collaboration with the Under the Muscadines Catholic Worker community, the event aimed to unite the community in remembrance and a shared commitment to end the epidemic of gun violence. As of this month, there have been 11 reported gun deaths this year in Columbus and four in Phenix City, according to the Gun Violence Memorial lists.
Holding candles that flickered against the evening sky, participants stood in solidarity, bridging two cities and two states. The ceremony included the reading of names of those lost to gun violence, serving as a somber reminder of the lives affected in schools, churches, shopping centers, and neighborhoods. Organizers emphasized that the vigil was both a time of mourning and a call to action, asserting, “We refuse to accept the normalization of gun violence in our communities.”…