On Monday, January 19, the Freedmen Federation and Faith In Action East Bay call community leaders, families, educators, and faith partners to gather at Richmond City Hall for the Bay Area Unity Vigil. This peaceful, multicultural public gathering calling for an immediate end to state violence against families and children. The City of Richmond has agreed to host this critical community event.
Held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the vigil honors Dr. King’s legacy of nonviolence, dignity, and justice, while directly confronting the ongoing harm caused by state systems—particularly in schools and neighborhoods—by those sworn to protect our communities. Organizers say the moment demands moral clarity and urgent action.
The vigil will feature prayers, poems, and songs, creating space for remembrance, healing, and collective resolve. It is intentionally family-centered, inclusive, and rooted in unity, bringing together communities across race, faith, and background.
“We can’t wait,” said Zelon Harrison, California education advocate. “We have the data, the team, the partners, and the plan to create safe learning environments for our children at school and in our neighborhoods. There can be no meaningful reparations if we do not start with education. Safe and effective learning literally saves lives.”
“You cannot invoke the name of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. without naming hate and state violence as the public health crises still killing Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ parents today,” said Prof. Kira Lee. “Dr. King himself was a parent, a spouse, a community leader—and ultimately a victim of the same state-sanctioned gun violence that murdered Renee Nicole Good and Keith Porter Jr.”
“We have already lost two members of our community in Richmond,” said Councilwoman Claudia Jimenez, City of Richmond. “Two households are now without the breadwinner who provided stability, protection, and care.”
The event calls Black and brown families, and our allies, to come together in recognition of our shared experience. The event marks the public launch of the 2026 Justice in Education strategy, a regional and collaborative community-led solution focused on ensuring that childhood learning environments, both in schools and at home, are places of safety, support, and opportunity rather than surveillance and punishment.
The 2026 Justice In Education strategic plan calls for:
- Investments in school safety, facilities, and infrastructure
- Increased access to culturally responsible counselors, educators, service providers, and resources
- Training and supports that center student culture and wellbeing
- The removal of law-enforcement practices that harm Black and Brown students and families
Organizers describe the vigil as both a moment of reflection and a call to action, urging policymakers and institutions to align public safety and education systems with the values of justice, dignity, and human rights.
The Bay Area Unity Vigil is open to the public. All are welcome.
Justice. Education. Action.
For more information:
Prof. Kira Lee
📞 (248) 843-4130
📧 kira@fiaeastbay.org
Link to RSVP: https://forms.gle/jags6UyVRn4Ghus88