After the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE on January 7 and January 24, respectively, on the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesotans across the state held vigils honoring their memories at churches and other houses of worship, outside in the streets, and elsewhere.

Among those holding vigils is a small literary nonprofit press headquartered less than a mile from where Pretti was murdered. Throughout the week—and perhaps longer—Trio House Press is holding a virtual vigil, during which poets published by Trio House record themselves reciting a poem.

Each day since January 24, Trio House has posted at least one video to all of its social media platforms and on YouTube. The nightly virtual vigil kicked off with a reading by Matheaus Perkins, a Virginia resident reciting “Lois Lane Reporting from Metropolis,” a poem he wrote last fall that he said was inspired by the deployment of National Guard troops and federal agents to Washington, D.C.

Participating poets to date in order of posting include Ana Maria Caballero; Dylan Weir; Susan Azar Porterfield; Lena Khalaf Tuffaha; Mai-Linh Hong; Samina Najmi; David Groff; Jessica Hincapie; Deborah Derrickson; Richard Terrill; and Matt Mauch.

Editorial director Kris Bigalk, who has led the 14-year old press since 2023, noted that because Trio House traditionally has focused on amplifying underrepresented voices, many of those it has published are immigrants, BIPOC, and “people who’ve been through similar situations” as Twin Cities area residents.

After being contacted by a number of Trio House’s approximately 40 published authors who told her "they wished they could do something to show support for Minneapolis,” Bigalk initially considered organizing an in-person event.

“I wanted people to have kind of a moment to reflect and listen to some good literature,” she said, “and realize that there's somebody out there they don't even know, some poet who is feeling for us right now."

But because Trio House publishes only five poets who are local and travel to the Twin Cities is not advised right now, Bigalk ultimately decided to go virtual.

“So I thought poets could just send me videos,” she said. “They can make sure that they’re saying what they want to say, and that they do it in a way they're comfortable with. What a great way to have these poets be in community with us when they can't be here in person.”

Bigalk says that she intends to post videos through the end of the week, and then will issue a last call to her authors before winding things down. “This isn't orchestrated,” she said. “So much of this is like a real vigil, where people can just step forward.”