Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community gathered for a vigil honoring Renée Nicole Good, who was killed Jan. 7 by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
A few dozen LGBTQ+ leaders, longtime activists, elected officials and other community members met at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., on Jan. 10 for a ceremony honoring Good’s life and showing support from Chicago.
“We wanted to send a message to [Good’s] wife, Rebecca, that we see you, we hear you, we stand with you, and we’re here with you—united as a community,” said Dawn Valenti, an LGBTQ+ and crime victim advocate who organized the vigil.
Good was shot and killed during an encounter involving neighbors and immigration enforcement. Federal officials have said the agent fired his weapon during a confrontation, resulting in Good’s death. But video footage and witness accounts contradict the federal government’s account.
Speakers at the vigil emphasized that Good’s killing has had particular resonance within the LGBTQ+ community, including her wife, Rebecca Good, who they said should not have to grieve alone.
Rebecca Good spoke publicly about her wife’s killing in a Jan. 9 statement to MPR News, writing, “If you ever encountered my wife, Renee Nicole Macklin Good, you know that above all else, she was kind. In fact, kindness radiated out of her.”
The vigil included remarks from several of Chicago’s LGBTQ+ advocates and community leaders, who spoke about grief, safety and the need for solidarity across movements.
Manuel Hernández-Núñez, executive director of the Association of Latinos/as/xs Motivating Action (ALMA Chicago), said Good’s death should not be viewed as an isolated incident.
“We gather with heavy hearts to honor the life of Renée Nicole Good,” Hernández-Núñez said. “Renée’s death underscores what queer and immigrant communities have long known—immigration enforcement and LGBTQ+ rights are intertwined. The violence of state systems, when unchecked, falls hardest on people with multiple marginalized identities.”
Joli Robinson, CEO of the Center on Halsted, said the gathering was an opportunity for collective mourning and care.
“I hope that Renée’s memory can live on in each of us—not just in this moment, but in the way that we choose to live our lives and love one another each and every day,” Robinson said.
Ald. Bennett Lawson and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley also addressed the crowd, offering remarks in support of Good’s family and condemning violence tied to immigration enforcement. State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz was also in attendance.
The vigil was among several actions taking place across Chicago this weekend following Good’s killing, including protests downtown and in neighborhoods across the city.
Reflecting on the importance of collective action during moments of grief and crisis, longtime LGBTQ+ activist Richard Knight Jr. pointed to earlier moments in the community’s history, including organizing during the height of the AIDS crisis.
“Gathering works. You gather peacefully, you make your voices heard, you come together—and it really does work,” he said.
