Assemblywoman Amy Paulin joined nearly 1,000 community members on January 28 at Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains for an interfaith prayer vigil and anti-violence rally, standing in solidarity with neighbors and clergy from more than 30 churches and synagogues across lower Westchester. The gathering was initiated by Assemblywoman Paulin and Rabbi Jonathan Blake of Westchester Reform Temple, and organized by Rev. Erwin Lee Trollinger of Calvary Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Kelly Rogers of Scarsdale Congregational Church, and Rabbi Jason Fenster of Congregation Kol Ami. The evening served as a powerful affirmation of the community’s shared commitment to dignity, compassion, and the sanctity of human life.

The vigil also honored the lives of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two American citizens who were killed in separate encounters with federal agents in Minnesota earlier this month. Ms. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, and Mr. Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, were remembered for their compassion and humanity. Their killings have raised urgent concerns about the use of force, constitutional rights, and the growing climate of fear surrounding federal enforcement actions.

The evening called on attendees to see one another more fully, build relationships across faiths and communities, and speak out together against fear, dehumanization, and violence in all its forms. “In Westchester, we choose love over hate and community over division,” said Assemblywoman Paulin. “We gathered to mourn, to bear witness, and to say clearly that violence and the erosion of human dignity have no place in our communities. I am deeply grateful to the clergy and every person who showed up to stand with one another.”