Gorham High School (GHS) held two vigils in solidarity with Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) members following the recent racist, anti-Asian attacks in San Francisco, CA, Atlanta, GA, and Portland, ME.
The vigils were held from 7:20-7:45 a.m. on Thursday, March 25 and Monday, March 29 outside GHS. Bei Ju, GHS Chinese teacher, and Civil Rights Team (CRT) advisors, Trisha Cherry and Kerry Herlihy, organized both events over the course of three days before spreading the word to students and staff. During both vigils, students and staff lined the walkway at the bus loop entrance holding signs. The vigil on March 29 saw around 30 members of the GHS community showing support despite the rain and wind that day.
Ju explained that she was “overwhelmed” by the supportive emails she received from co-workers on the Friday following the attack in Atlanta. One of these emails, from Cherry and Herlihy, expressed support for Ju and asked what the CRT could do in the moment to best support AAPI members of the Gorham community.
Gorham High School (GHS) students participate in the March 29 Asian vigil outside GHS.As a result, the three teachers organized an after school meeting the following Monday to plan a poster making event on March 24 to be used at the two vigils. Around 30-40 posters were made by students and staff at the event.
On the decision to organize a vigil, Ju stated “I’m not an activist at all. But I felt saddened and also angry in my heart.” Ju also expressed the importance of raising awareness for the anti-Asian hate crimes occurring across the country and stated that the vigils were an important part of “creating a community which chooses love over hate and lets all colors shine.”