Never Again
Neighbors, Not Enemies
It was standing room only at the Liberty Missionary Baptist Church on the evening of Friday, January 30, 2026. The Marion County Young Democrats were hosting a vigil to remember those who have died at the hands of ICE agents. The leadership of that group had managed to get commitments from local Democratic leaders and those leaders showed up to speak. United States Representative Andre Carson, Indiana Senator Fady Qaddoura, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, and several City and County Councilors.
All the speakers had something important to say, but Malkah Bird, a member of Jewish Voices for Peace, brought the audience to their feet. Malkah’s message was very personal. As a Jew, she knows what happens when a state decides some people are disposable. She told the attentive audience, “After the Holocaust, our people made a vow – etched into our bones and carried across generations: Never Again! Hear us clearly tonight, and let there be no ambiguity: Never Again is Now! Never Again means no more scapegoating – no turning neighbors into enemies, no blaming the vulnerable for the violence of the powerful. Never Again means no more checking papers – not at bus stops, not on street corners, not in classrooms, not in hospitals. Never Again means no more concentration camps – not at the border, not in Marion County, not hidden behind euphemisms like ‘detention’ or ‘processing.’ Never Again means no child torn from their parents by the state. Never Again means no one disappeared into cages without due process, without medical care, without dignity.”
The cry “Never Again” became a pledge on that Friday evening to work together across religious, racial, ethnic and generational lines to make big changes in our mutual pursuit of justice for everyone. You should have been there!
Moments like this remind us that “Never Again” is not just a slogan, but a responsibility. If we mean it, we have to act. But what can we do? We can show up at school board and council meetings where immigrant families are discussed without their voices present. We can support local groups who are providing legal aid, translation help, and emergency assistance to undocumented neighbors. We can challenge dehumanizing language when we hear it in our workplaces, our social circles, and in our own families. We can accompany people to court dates, donate to bond funds, and contact our lawmakers to advocate for policies protecting due process and keeping families together. None of us can do everything, but all of us can do something. And when we do, “Never Again” becomes more than a vow. It becomes our service, our ministry, our action.
If you’re wondering where to begin, Indianapolis has these organizations doing courageous, hands‑on work daily:
Coalition for Our Immigrant Neighbors (COIN)
The Immigrant Legal Services Fund
These organizations welcome volunteers, donations, and community partners. Showing up, whether by supporting legal aid, mentoring a newly-arrived family, or attending local advocacy events, is one way we may turn “Never Again” from a vow into a shared practice of human dignity.
