Annual Candlelight Vigil

DVAN will host its annual Domestic Violence Memorial Vigil on Monday, October 6, 2025, at 6:00 PM, at Grand Valley State University’s Eberhard Center, 301 Fulton St W, Grand Rapids, MI.

This year’s vigil, themed “Their Light Lives On,” will remember the lives lost in Michigan, honor survivors, and raise community awareness of ongoing efforts to end intimate partner violence. The event will bring together survivors, families, advocates, and community leaders for a powerful evening of reflection and action.

The names of approximately 60 people who have lost their lives to Domestic Violence in Michigan will be read during the vigil.

The vigil will open a Memorial Art Installation paying tribute to Michiganders who lost their lives to domestic violence in the past year. The installation will be displayed on the Blue Bridge in downtown Grand Rapids from October 6–10, 2025.

“This vigil is both a remembrance and a call to action. By gathering together, we honor the lives lost, support survivors, and publicly acknowledge that domestic violence affects not only the 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men who experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime, but our entire community. We recommit ourselves to building a Kent County where everyone can live in safety and dignity.” – Micah Johnston, Director of DVAN