“It could have been me; it could have been all of us.”

Shouts of agreement broke the cold winter air as the sun set over Delucchi Park early Thursday evening. Tri-Valley residents, ranging from a young couple cradling a baby to weathered veterans of 60s protests, gathered across the Pleasanton park to hold a candlelight vigil honoring Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman who was shot by ICE officers Wednesday morning. 

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has had no shortage of controversy recently. With President Trump’s renewed war on immigration, ambushes in major US cities are now no surprise to many. On Wednesday morning, in the midst of ICE raids in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Renee Nicole Good was shot in the head three times. The Minneapolis killing was unparalleled – in less than 24 hours, the nation erupted in protests against government violence.

“It’s kind of like a cold, civil war. It’s not actually war, but the emotional divide is still there. I also think that one of the things that happens when a country is under stress is that [it] divides in issues that were settled in the past. They come back. Countries fracture along pre-existing fault lines,” said vigil participant Jim Doxsee. 

Beginning with a song that would set the tone for the rest of the event, resident Art Tenbrink started to sing “We shall overcome,” strumming a guitar as residents held flickering candles in solidarity, signaling a moment of silent reflection. The event, hosted by Indivisible Tri-Valley, a grassroots organization, organized the vigil following the outrage sparked by Good’s death as a call for justice and a chance for the community to mourn. 

“I believe that we’re all connected. As a nation, we need to know that hurting one of us hurts all of us. It’s important that these kinds of relatively small but important events are happening and that we’re coming together as citizens. It’s like lights in the darkness – the more light in the darkness, the less shadows you have,” said Tenbrink. 

Michele Brynjulson, an organizer with Indivisible, reflected on her continued activism. To her, the Trump Administration, for better or for worse, has left an indelible mark and shaped local concerns ever since taking office in 2016. 

“I had been a part of Indivisible during Trump’s first term, but I wanted to become more actively involved. I was very concerned with the direction that our country was taking in the first term and was horrified with the fact that he was coming back for more. We thought we were all done but it’s come back to haunt us in a way that we didn’t believe could happen in our lifetime,” said Brynjulson. 

Pleasanton, which is more than a day’s drive from Minneapolis, may feel separate from the nation’s political discourse. To many of the vigil’s attendees, however, Good’s killing means the fate of many others becomes more relatable than ever. Good was killed in her suburban neighborhood, mere blocks away from her home. With her death, violence at the hands of ICE seems more plausible.

“This [type of incident] can happen in Pleasanton, too. Nobody is immune to this new administration with these lawless people who are in power, thinking that they can get away with murder and they don’t have consequences. No accountability is the worst thing [that] can happen. And this is not how a lawful, democratic state of the law should work,” said vigil peacekeeper Isabel Gomez. 

Vigils like the one hosted by Indivisible have taken place around the country from remembrances in Birmingham to protests in the heart of Minneapolis. The goal is crucial for demonstrators: national scrutiny of actions of persisting state violence. 

“We have no idea what’s going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, but some of us are called to turn up, speak up, [and are] willing to take this risk. There is risk in every one of these events… but we can’t just be silent and let this country be taken over by an authoritarian administration. We’re called, each of us individually, to show up and to speak out…we’ve just got to influence the narrative of the country together,” said a peacekeeper, who chose to remain anonymous. 

Though small, Indivisible Tri-Valley’s persistent advocacy exemplifies what it means to be an active community member – participation. To make a difference means strength in numbers. Pleasanton, and the broader Tri-Valley area, may seem silent, but Thursday’s vigil says otherwise. 

“If you can do something, do it. [Such as] showing up with a sign and respectfully holding it up. Don’t let people intimidate you. Don’t let people rattle you. Participate,” said protestor Brian Moran.