In her first public appearance since her partner was killed by immigration agents, Becca Good stood on a stage in a wintry park in Minneapolis on Saturday, as hundreds of people came to commemorate Renee Good’s life, a month after her death.
It was an emotional moment for a city that has been grappling over the killings of two U.S. citizens this year — first Ms. Good, and a few weeks later Alex Pretti — as they protest against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities.
Ms. Good, was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on Jan. 7 while she was driving in her S.U.V. Federal officials have defended the agent’s actions, saying it was in self-defense, a viewpoint that has been disputed by state and local officials.
A month later, there remain offerings of flowers, candles, signs and well wishes on the street where Ms. Good was killed by federal officers.
But Saturday’s event was the first public memorial celebrating the life of Ms. Good, where her partner, Becca Good, was present. Although she did not speak, she offered a statement that was read by Rabbi Arielle Lekach-Rosenberg.
“Becca Good, Renee’s wife has had to grieve alone for weeks,” Rabbi Lekach-Rosenberg said. “This is a really important moment, Rebecca gets to share words back to you. So, it is my honor to get to offer Becca’s words.”
The short statement began by thanking the community.
“Minneapolis has shown me that even in the middle of grief and fear, people still show up for each other,” Becca Good wrote in the statement. “I am so proud to call Minneapolis my home.”
She wrote of Renee Good being a volunteer, a teacher and a mother, saying that she worked to make things “a little better for others.”
And she ended by talking about the son they shared.
“Every night I kiss my son at bedtime and tell him things are going to get better, and I have to mean it. We know that this is wrong. I am on your side, and I am grateful you are on mine.”
Renee Good’s sister, Annie Granger, was also in attendance and briefly spoke.
“We who do not live in this area of Minnesota see this powerful work that you’re doing despite the pushback, and it encouraged us to dive into our own communities, We are so proud,” she said, her voice breaking. “My family is so grateful for you. Thank you for being my sister’s home.”
Ms. Granger also worked to lift up the spirits of those in the crowd.
“Renee was completely hilarious,” Ms. Granger told the crowd at Powderhorn Park. “Every time I talked to her, I laughed until I cry-snorted, but she cried-snorted with me.
“I think Renee’s advice to us right now would be to take care of ourselves care for our neighbors,” she said. “Receive care from our neighbors, rest and eat, and play and show up.”
Sabrina Tavernise is a writer-at-large for The Times, focused on political life in America and how Americans see the changes in Washington.
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