On Thursday, the Pause with the Pack community vigil was held in Talley Student Union in response to the Chabad of Poway Synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, the UNC Charlotte shooting, as well as acts of violence that have recently impacted faith communities.
Students, faculty and staff first gathered at 4 p.m. in the lobby of Talley to join NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson in a moment of silence. Participants of the vigil assembled in The James H. Woodward Student Involvement Center to listen to speakers and share messages of hope with those attending.
Student Body President Emma Carter, a third-year student studying sociology and international studies, discussed the importance of this event for students impacted by these acts of violence.
“It’s important to give students a place to talk, it’s important to give students a place to mourn, to grieve however they feel the need to do that,” Carter said. “We are highlighting events that happened this past year while still remembering that this is still happening, they are ongoing”
The vigil acted as a space for students, faculty and staff to discuss recent acts of violence in a constructive yet open environment.
“There was some staff here to facilitate questions or talk about things in a more structured way, but also and open way,” Carter said. “It gave students a space to come and express what they are going through or say what they think NC State could do better.”
Muslim Student Association President Mohsen Zakaib, a third-year majoring in nuclear engineering, spoke at the vigil and said that he was touched by the university’s support.
“I think it’s great that NC State is holding such an event to show solidarity at a university level,” Zakaib stated. “I am proud to say that NC State, the college that I go to, does represent me and allows me to represent myself.”
The education chair of the Muslim Student Association, Sinthia Shabnam, a fourth-year studying political science and sociology, also spoke at the event. She reminded those attending that there is always a choice when deciding how to respond to an act of hate.
“Faith communities are the communities that I find to be some of the most compassionate people there are, but that compassion is being attacked,” Shabnam said. “We have to do our best as a community to respond with compassion because we have that option.”
Other members of the NC State community attended to show support to those impacted by the shootings at Chabad of Poway Synagogue and UNC Charlotte such as Keegan Moloney, a second-year studying industrial design.
“I came with my friends from the Catholic Campus Ministry who are a part of this,” Moloney said. “To join in community with everyone who is suffering and know people who are affected by these recent acts of violence. It was a way of showing my support for them.”
