Members of the Dartmouth community are invited to a "Vigil for Quiet Light," a silent gathering on Baker Lawn on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m., to "collectively process the sorrow many have experienced during the past year."
In a joint email to the community on Oct. 6, Jennifer Rosales, senior vice president for community and campus life, and spiritual and other campus leaders wrote, "We find ourselves in a month filled with reflection and complexity for many communities. We wish to acknowledge the viscerally felt impact of so many painful events locally, nationally, and around the world, including in the Middle East, as well as the tragic loss of beloved students, faculty, and friends."
Citing the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.—"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that"—Rosales and event organizers, including the William Jewett Tucker Center, campus faith leaders, the Office of Community Life and Inclusivity, and the Office of Outdoor Programs, are encouraging participants to bring a flashlight, headlamp, lantern, or other portable light source, to the short vigil, which will include 10 minutes of silence. Additional light sources will also be available.
"After the quiet vigil, everyone is welcome to gather in the Tucker Center for hot chocolate and chai to talk about our shared sources of light," the email from Rosales and the others said.
On Oct. 24, organizers have also planned a series of listening circles around lunchtime, informed by Native American and Indigenous practices and led by trained facilitators. All Dartmouth community members are welcome to speak. Registration for the listening circles, which will be followed by a lunch, is required.
"The purpose of these circles is not to solve problems, engage in debates, or have dialogues. Instead, they provide an environment for expression, processing emotions, and most importantly, listening to one another," the email said. "The focus is on creating a safe space where community members can unpack their feelings and reflect together."
Also during that week, signs with prompts for reflection will be posted along the mile-long paved loop trail around Occom Pond. Community members are invited to engage with the postings individually or in small groups, and Katie Colleran, director of the Outdoor Programs Office, will lead a group around the pond on Monday, Oct. 21, at 10 a.m. Participants can meet by the flagpole on the Green.
The week of observances concludes on Saturday, Oct. 26, with the Dartmouth Hindu community's annual celebration of Diwali/Deepavali, a festival which celebrates the inner light that shines within all. Everyone is welcome to attend the Puja religious service in Rollins Chapel at 4 p.m., the lighting of lamps on the Green at 5:30 p.m., and the Diwali cultural program in the Grand Ballroom at the Hanover Inn immediately following the festivities on the Green.
"By participating in this communal event, we aim to rebuild the foundations of our community and collaboratively chart new paths forward. We encourage your presence as we embark on this collective journey of renewal and healing," the email said.
In addition to Rosales, the invitation to join the Vigil for Quiet Light was signed by The Rev. Nancy Vogele '85, college chaplain and director of the William Jewett Tucker Center; Abdul Rahman Latif, Muslim chaplain and associate director of the Tucker Center; Ellie Anders Thompson, multi-faith adviser of the Tucker Center; Rabbi Seth Linfield, executive director of Hillel at Dartmouth; Rabbi Moshe L. Gray, executive director of Chabad at Dartmouth; La-Tarri Canty, associate dean of Community Life and Inclusivity; and Colleran, the director of the Outdoor Programs Office.