Thread by @vgescobar

This morning, I again spent time at the memorial site where the deadliest massacre of Latinos in American history took place. Here, in my beautiful home. 1/

Thousands of El Pasoans and visitors from near and far have flocked here every day to pay their respects. Today was the first time I took photos. 2/

It is incredibly moving to be there in silent, painful solidarity with so many. 3/

There are flowers and candles everywhere. There are rosaries and art and statues and photos. 4/

And there are posters. Rows and rows of posters with messages of grief and pain. Messages of hope and messages of anger. 5/

There are volunteers handing out water and snacks to the people standing in the 100 degree heat under the relentless sun. 6/

There are people embracing, crying, praying. 7/

There’s patriotism — American and Mexican. There are flags, and innumerable symbols demonstrative of the pride we have in being a binational, bicultural community. 8/

There are political messages and religious messages. 9/

Many of the art pieces use our beautiful mountains and the star that’s lit ever night as their artistic centerpiece. That mountain is as strong as we are. 10/

There are balloons and teddy bears, poems and mementos. 11/

Mostly, there is love.

#ElPasoStrong

Fin