A series of vigils are planned in Denver this week to honor those killed over the weekend in a deadly shooting at a LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs.
The shooting at Club Q left five dead and more than a dozen others injured.
The first vigil, scheduled for Monday night at Reelworks near Tracks, is being organized by a number of faith organizations. Gov. Jared Polis is set to speak at the event.
"Our hearts are with the victims and families who have been impacted by this horrific act of violence targeting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community in our home state of Colorado," the event description reads.
On Saturday, the Bread & Roses Legal Center will host two community events to raise funds for victims' and survivors.
Bread & Roses is a queer and trans run legal center that provides free and low cost legal services on many issues, such as trans name changes and second parent adoption.
Z Williams, director at Bread & Roses, said the goal is ultimately to provide a space for folks to be together.
"Loss and trauma and tragedy happens all too often in our community and the thing that makes it bearable and that gets people through to the other side is having folks show up," Williams said. "We want to give the community, not just the opportunity to grieve together, but also to put our resources together and do something powerful to support the healing of folks in Colorado Springs."
The morning event will be held at Cultura Chocolate, 3742 Morrison Road. It'll be a sober and family event, Williams said. In the evening, things will switch over to Town Hall Collaborative, 525 Santa Fe Drive.
Williams said the goal is to collect gift cards or cash donations to give to survivors and victims' families. There will also be a silent auction and folks can donate items or services. People will also be able to help build a mobile memorial, which will be taken to Colorado Springs Sunday, Nov. 27.
"When I think about the queer community, I think about our vibrance and our art and not just in moments of joy but also moments of sorrow. That's how we get through. That's how we find the fire and the joy and the belief that we have to keep fighting," Williams said. "I believe that community and solidarity are the ways that we are going to make a difference. No matter how hard the people who hate us and want to make us disappear try, we refuse to let them force us into complacency or force us into a feeling of powerlessness."
Reelworks Denver
Nov. 21
1399 35th Street, 7 p.m.
Enter on Walnut Street
Tracks Denver, OneColorado, The Interfaith Alliance, The Anti-Defamation League, Rocky Mountain Rabbis and Cantors, Temple Emanuel, and JEWISHcolorado and its Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) have organized a Club Q vigil. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis will address the gathering. The event will also be livestreamed here.
Colorado State Capitol
Nov. 23, 5:30 p.m.
200 E Colfax Avenue
A Facebook group will be hosting a vigil at the Capitol Wednesday. The group will be handing out free Club Q memorial buttons. Attendees are asked to bring candles or use cell phones and to dress warmly.
Shorter Community AME Church
Nov. 24, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
3100 Richard Allen Court
A notice from the church states, "Community is invited to give thanks and to honor and remember those whose lives were injured and taken in the Club Q nightclub massacre."
Queers for Q
Nov. 26
Cultura Chocolate & Town Hall Collaborative
Bread & Roses Legal Center will be hosting two events on Saturday to raise money for the victims' families. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cultura Chocolate, at 3742 Morrison Road, will host a sober event featuring a drag queen story hour and a silent auction. Town Hall Collaborative, at 525 Santa Fe Drive, will host an event from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Bread & Roses is also working with Hope Tank to collect gift cards for victims' families. Those can be turned in at the mail slot at 1434 E. 22nd Avenue. Donations, like services and atwork, are also needed for the silent auction. Food and snack donations are also being accepted for the event. Tattoo artists interested in doing flash tattoos, queer and trans performers and poets, and artists wanting to help build a mobile memorial can email [email protected] to help.
"Try to Remember" Concert
Nov. 27, 3 p.m.
First Universalist Church, 4101 E Hampden Avenue
Sage Singers, Denver's elder chorus of LGBTQ and allied singers, are presenting their fall concert Sunday and "will be providing a healing gathering space for our community and allies." Tickets are available online at www.sagesingers.org or at the door.
Please email us at [email protected] if there is a planned vigil we should add to our list.
