After a widely attended vigil on Penn State University Park’s Old Main lawn Monday, a second candle-lit vigil was held Tuesday night at the Allen Street Gates in honor of the 49 victims killed in this weekend’s shooting in Orlando.
Lighting wicks along the sidewalk was Vladimir Londoño, a Penn State University student and member of the Centre County LGBTQA Support Network, the local non-profit that sponsored the event.
“It’s important everyone came out here because visibility is a virtue,” Londoño said. “We need to be visible and stand on Allen Street, have vigils. We have a hundred candles lined up right now, and they’re still going. It’s crazy.”
Co-Chair of the Centre County LGBTQA Support Network Tamar London says these gatherings are a way of not only honoring the victims but also fighting for the minorities they represented.
“For us, to come out together shows that we’re not scared,” London said, “shows that we are proud, shows that we support one another and defeats what those that hate are trying to achieve.”
The vigil doubled as a forum allowing students and community members, such as Centre County Commissioner Mark Higgins, to step forward and share their personal thoughts by candlelight.
