Candlelight Vigil Draws Community Together on Westford Town Common

Candlelight Vigil Draws Community Together on Westford Town Common

By Westford resident Wendy Gloyd

Despite cold temperatures and gusty winds, approximately 100 residents gathered late Sunday afternoon on the Westford Town Common for a candlelight vigil honoring Renee Nicole Good, who was killed in a recent encounter with federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

Participants arrived and departed throughout the hour-long vigil, held from 5 to 6 p.m., as temperatures hovered around 40 degrees. Organizers said the steady presence reflected strong community concern, even as some attendees were forced to leave early due to the weather while others arrived later.

The vigil was flash organized in one day by local resident and LGBTQ+ advocate Wendy Gloyd and co-sponsored by Westford Indivisible, with support from the Westford Democratic Committee and First Parish Church United of Westford.

“We estimate about 100 people participated over the course of the hour,” Gloyd said. “Even with the cold and wind, people stayed, held candles, and stood together quietly. That mattered.”

Attendees held signs calling for justice for Good and stood together in community rather than in silence. Throughout the evening, people spoke with one another, shared stories, and offered mutual support, creating space for connection as well as reflection. Organizers said participants arrived carrying grief and concern, but many left with a renewed sense of hope, having met new neighbors, reconnected with familiar faces, and affirmed their shared commitment to one another. The gathering drew a wide range of ages and included families, individuals, and even dogs, reflecting the breadth of the community present.

“This wasn’t anti-law enforcement by any means—it was pro-accountability and pro-rule of law,” Gloyd said. “When someone dies during a federal operation, it’s appropriate for communities to ask whether standards, training, and use of force met the expectations of the law.”

Gloyd emphasized that the vigil was intentionally peaceful and carefully planned over the course of one day. She said she contacted Chief Chambers in advance to share event details, coordinate logistics, and seek guidance so volunteer safety monitors could help ensure the gathering remained calm and orderly.

“That cooperation reflects what responsible civic engagement looks like,” she said. “This was about safety, care, and respect for the community.”

Many attendees expressed gratitude for the opportunity to gather, organizers said, noting that residents repeatedly thanked them for creating space to grieve and stand together.

Westford’s strong immigrant roots were also a central theme of the evening. Many residents are immigrants themselves or have close ties to immigrant communities, making concerns about safety and due process deeply personal.

“Westford is a town that values fairness and neighborliness,” Gloyd said. “Many people here care deeply about ensuring that our immigrant neighbors, as well as women and LGBTQ+ residents, feel safe and supported.”

“We are recommitting ourselves to peaceful civic engagement and to the belief that justice, accountability, and humanity must guide our laws,” Gloyd said. “This vigil was not about division—it was about love for our community and care for one another.”