Coachella Valley Equity Collaborative plans Nov. 19 community vigil to remember and honor residents who died during COVID-19 pandemic

To acknowledge the more than 1,000 Coachella Valley residents who have died from COVID-19 since the onset of the coronavirus in early 2020, the Coachella Valley Equity Collaborative will present a community vigil and remembrance event on Nov. 19.

The vigil is set for Friday, Nov. 19 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Coachella Veterans Memorial Park, 1500-1598 Fourth St., Coachella. It is designed to honor the great loss that many desert families are experiencing and to begin to heal as a community,

All residents are welcome to attend the free ceremony, which will include an opportunity to bring a photo or special item of those who have died as a part of a candlelit tribute. The program also will include music, the recitation of a poem, food and drinks, and words of wisdom and comfort from invited interfaith leaders including Father Francisco Gomez of Our Lady of Soledad Catholic Church and Pastor Rick Saldivar of Destiny Church. (Spanish and English translation will be provided.)

“The Coachella Valley needs this event,” said Conrado Bárzaga, CEO of the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation, a leading organization in the Coachella Valley Equity Collaborative. “Since we launched our COVID-19 response 20 months ago, we have understood that no one is untouched by the effects of this virus. It does not discriminate. We are still in this together, whether we are advocating for COVID-19 vaccines and testing for all, or we are coming together to help each other heal from a devastating loss.”

Please see the event flyer in Spanish here.

About the Coachella Valley Equity Collaborative

In fall 2020, acting as the financial intermediary for $1.2 million in CARES Act funds from Riverside County Public Health, the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation facilitated a collaborative to increase efforts to bring testing, resources, and eventually vaccines to traditionally undeserved communities, including thousands of migrant farmworkers in eastern Coachella Valley. Comprised of community- and faith-based organizations, the collaborative continues its work with the county today to stop the spread of COVID-19 through an equitable vaccination campaign. In recent months, its efforts have been bolstered by the contributions of Rite Aid Pharmacies, the Public Health Institute, valley school districts, and Desert Care Network.

 

 

 

 

 

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Image Sources

  • Candlelight vigil: Shutterstock