Traverse City residents organize vigil for grief and loss

TRAVERSE CITY — Residents of the greater Grand Traverse area plan to host a “Vigil for Grief and Loss” to honor and recognize different forms of loss people in Traverse City are experiencing.

The vigil is being organized by a coalition of community-led organizations and concerned residents to create space for grief rooted in both personal experiences and broader systems and histories that organizers said continue to shape the present.

According to a Nov. 21 news release, attendees will hear from people who said they are directly experiencing losses, including the loss of life in ICE detention centers, the loss of food security as SNAP benefits are cut, the ongoing loss and theft of Indigenous land and the loss of safety for LGBTQ+ community members.

Organizers said they also plan to bui