‘Love is stronger than hate’
Stamford community members gather to honor Nex Benedict with vigil
STAMFORD — As the sun set over downtown Stamford, members of the local community gathered Thursday evening at Latham Park for a candlelight vigil honoring Nex Benedict, a non-binary 16-year-old who died last month in Owasso, Ok.
The vigil was organized by community groups including Stamford Pride, PFLAG Stamford and the city of Stamford. Speakers included Stamford mayor Caroline Simmons, local religious leaders and members of the community.
Benedict, who according to family used they/ them pronouns, collapsed and died the day after they were injured in an altercation with three girls on Feb. 7 at Owasso High School. Local police previously said Benedict did not die of their injuries, but federal officials recently announced an investigation into the cause of death.
Organizer Polly O’Brien Morrow, a Stamford Pride board member, said she was happy to see so many people come out on such short notice. She and other community leaders organized the vigil in a week. Between 50 and 70 people attended.
“It’s very important to show — especially our LGBTQIA loved ones — that we support them, we love them, and to try and reassure them that we are doing everything we can to make it safer, as safe as possible here in Stamford and beyond,”
Morrow said. “We all need to be the change we want to see in the world.”
As the parent to two transgender kids, Morrow said is was important to lift up the stories of LGBTQ youth and find ways to be supportive allies in the community.
“It’s not just the youth,” Morrow said. “But it’s particularly hard on the youth. So this is really a needed public event to help heal.”
Stamford resident Izabela Novak, 16, said Benedict’s
death hit her especially hard because “it’s horrifying that something like that happened to somebody my age and any age at all.
“There is a light in this community that is full of support and kindness, even in the darkest moments in our community,” she said. “I think that’s really what matters in situations like these, even though it’s very unfortunate that they keep happening so frequently.”
Rae Gomez, one of the evening’s speakers, said she felt speaking out was important because “being part of the community myself, I think it’s just difficult to see these types of things continuously happening as the years go on.”
“Seeing people here that aren’t even necessarily part of the community or might not have any connections to them, I think it’s very nice to see that people care,” the 14-year old said. “It’s very sad, but I’m glad to see people continue to support us and just try their best to raise awareness for these issues.”
The Rev. Terri Dennehy of Stamford’s Unitarian Universalist Congregation said it was crucial for community institutions to come together and offer support.
“Our hearts are broken because of this awful violence against a nonbinary youth,” she said. “Our hearts are just going out and wanting to support all trans non-binary gender expansive youth, LGBTQ people everywhere. So I am just here to support. We’re just affirming that love is stronger than hate.”