On Saturday March 13, 2021 Mayor Vasquez hosted a vigil to honor the lives lost to COVID-19. This day marked one year Massachusetts went into lockdown. In the last year Lawrence was one of the hardest hit communities because of the pandemic. Over 235 members of the Lawrence community has passed away because of COVID-19. During the ceremony flowers were placed on the chair memorial symbolizing each life that was lost in the city. During the ceremony Mayor Vasquez says “I'm a human and I am saddened that we have lost so many individuals but we are stronger than that we are going to continue to pull together and I appreciate the great work that has happened” 

Senator Finegold says “This has been an incredibly difficult year probably as hard of a year we have ever experienced there is one thing for sure the city of Lawrence has raised to the occasion although we cannot get back those who we lost there are some things we can do we have to get more people in the city vaccinated.”  

Health and Human Services Director Martha Velez Says “It has been a long year of not being able to hug my elders it has been a long year making sure our community is healthy and the community to stay strong and not give up and that they know the one thing that I am 100% sure is that we are Lawrence resilient we are Lawrence that stands together”