THEIR MESSAGE FROM THE VIGIL. THE GOAL HERE ISN’T JUST TO HONOR THE LIVES LOST OF UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS IN SACRAMENTO, BUT ALSO TO COMMIT TO UPLIFTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL LIVING ON THE STREET. FOR REMEMBRANCE, INSTEAD OF ABANDONMENT. ON WHAT IS THE LONGEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR FOR JOY INSTEAD OF VIOLENCE. A FEW DOZEN GATHERED IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO TO REMEMBER THE 141 PEOPLE WHO DIED THIS YEAR WHILE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THE EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING LIVING OUTSIDE MEANS THEY’VE SLIPPED THROUGH ALL THE CRACKS. EVERY LAST CRACK. NIKKI JONES WITH THE SACRAMENTO REGIONAL COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS, ORGANIZED THE VIGIL. WE SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF ONE ANOTHER, AND WE NEED TO, AS A COMMUNITY, YOU ARE THE POWER TO DO THAT. NEXT TO A SIGN READING NO MORE HOMELESS DEATHS, VOLUNTEERS PASSED OUT WARM MEALS AND WARM CLOTHES TO ANYONE WHO NEEDED THEM. WE HAVE SURVIVAL SUPPLIES HERE BECAUSE IT’S REALLY ABOUT NOURISHMENT AND KEEPING PEOPLE ALIVE. THEN THEY SHARED STORIES ABOUT SOME OF THEIR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO THEY LOST THIS YEAR. THERE’S A LOT OF REALLY HORRIFIC AND TRAGIC DEATHS IN SACRAMENTO ON THE STREETS. BUT ALL OF THEM WERE PEOPLE FIRST, PEOPLE THAT WE ALL LOVED. SARAH WHIPPLE IS A CO-DIRECTOR AT THE YUBA HARM REDUCTION COLLECTIVE. I’M GOING TO START WITH EDWARD VALLEJO, WHO WE KNEW AS RATTLESNAKE. SHE KNEW AND CARED FOR NEARLY A DOZEN OF THE PEOPLE WHO PASSED AWAY. I’D ALSO LIKE TO REMEMBER RODNEY LONG. HE HAD RECENTLY GOTTEN SOBER AFTER MANY YEARS OF USING DRUGS, AND HE WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. BUT HE GOT DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER SHORTLY AFTER AND DIED PRETTY QUICKLY. AND DIDN’T GET TO ENJOY THE NEW LIFE THAT HE HAD PLANNED FOR HIMSELF. AS THE COMMUNITY LOOKS BACK ON A YEAR OF LOSS, THEY’RE HOPEFUL THE FUTURE WILL LOOK DIFFERENT. AND OFFICIALS SAY THIS IS THEIR 11TH YEAR HOLDING AN EVENT LIKE THIS. THEY SAY IN THAT TIME, THEY’VE LIKELY READ OFF MORE THAN 2000 NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DIED ON THE STREET. IN SACRAMENTO, PEYTON HEADLEY KCRA THREE NEWS. PEYTON. THANK YOU. WELL, LAST YEAR, SACRAMENTO COUNTY SAW 307 DEATHS OF