HILLSBOROUGH – Our Revolution Hillsborough, a local grassroots organization in the community, is preparing to bring people together from the surrounding areas for two special events this week.
The first event will take place on the night of June 3 with a special ‘Candlelight Vigil’ to honor the victims of the recent shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
The following day on June 4, Our Revolution Hillsborough (ORH) will hold a pro-choice rally called “My Body is Not Up for Discussion” to support women’s rights to an abortion in opposition of the possibility of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, a 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
Both events will take place at the intersection of Route 206 and Amwell Road in Hillsborough.
“We continue reaching out to the community in support of the important issues affecting our community and our nation,” said ORH Leader Didier Jimenez. “These events are welcome to anyone who wants to come. A lot of folks are excited to come out. It’s going to be great.”
Jimenez said that ORH felt it was important to represent the Hillsborough community and the local area by running a vigil in honor of the 21 victims that were killed in the Uvalde school shooting last week.
“As we mourn together, we need to pay our respects to the victims and their families,” Jimenez said. “They’re going through a lot right now. We need to show them support and respect in helping get more gun control.”
Rev. Rodney Williams will lead attendees in prayer and spiritual guidance at the vigil, which is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. All attendees are encouraged to wear orange.
There will be flower beds to honor all the victims and a special photo montage of all the victims will be projected during the event as well, added Jimenez.
ORH decided to hold the vigil this Friday night because June 3 is National Gun Violence Prevention Day.
With the recent mass shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo, NY, Jimenez said this event will give people a chance not just to honor those victims, but also share feelings about the gun control laws in the U.S. and what things they feel needs to be changed.
“National Gun Violence Prevention Day hits on all levels,” Jimenez said. “This is a chance for people from all sides of the aisle to come together.”
The “My Body is Not Up for Discussion” will be the second rally that ORH has run this spring.
ORH ran an impromptu rally back on May 3, following the reports that the Supreme Court had crafted an opinion draft that suggested to overturn the monumental case.
Around 15-20 people attended the ORH rally on May 3, said Jimenez. He expects more people and activists to attend the organization’s second rally this Saturday with ORH promoting the event over the last few weeks.
ORH’s pro-choice rally will give people, especially women, another opportunity to fight for their rights of the “fundamental freedom to make their own personal reproductive health care decisions,” he said.
“We support the right for people to control their own body in any place,” Jimenez added.
The pro-choice rally will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on June 3.
