Rainbow Democrats President Brandon Nelson issued the following statement regarding the Pulse tragedy:
Four years ago today changed The City Beautiful forever. Orlando, the State of Florida, the nation, and the world woke up to the news that there had been a shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. It would become the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in US history at that time when the death toll climbed to 49, only to be surpassed by another mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada the next year. The attack was not only an attack on Orlando’s LGBTQ+ community, but also on Orlando’s Latinx community, as it was Latin night at the club the night of the attack. Much like with the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001, everyone will remember where they were when they heard the news of the Pulse massacre.
The tragedy of the Pulse Nightclub attack brought the Orlando community closer than ever before. Our community came together to support the LGBTQ+ community when it mattered most. Many people, left wondering “what could I do to help?” began to donate blood or even donate money to the victims and survivors families. Orlando resident Ben Johansen, “The ribbon maker,” decided to make what is now known internationally as the Pulse ribbon, a rainbow ribbon with a black strip across it to memorialize the fallen 49 angels.
Four years later, time has not healed the wounds of the loss to our community. Our hearts still ache as we continue to memorialize this horrific event by creating space for healing and understanding. We must resole to eradicate homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and of course racism in order to achieve full equality.
As we still mourn the loss of those 49 angels, I ask that we honor them with action. Register to vote. Participate in the political process and stamp out bigotry at all levels of government. We must ensure that our elected leaders are held accountable for not only their actions, but their words too. Our leaders shouldn’t be in the business of espousing and fanning the flames of hateful rhetoric against our community. Our leaders should lead by example by lifting people up, not tearing people down. And finally, our leaders should protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, not try to dismantle them. THAT is how we will honor the lives of the Pulse 49; THAT is how we will honor them with action.
May we never forget the 49 lives lost on June 12, 2016 at 2:02AM at Pulse.
#SayTheirNames
Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old
Amanda L. Alvear, 25 years old
Oscar A. Aracena Montero, 26 years old
Rodolfo Ayala Ayala, 33 years old
Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old
Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old
Angel Candelario-Padro, 28 years old
Juan Chavez Martinez, 25 years old
Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old
Cory James Connell, 21 years old
Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old
Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old
Simón Adrian Carrillo Fernández, 31 years old
Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old
Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old
Peter Ommy Gonzalez Cruz, 22 years old
Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old
Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old
Frank Hernandez, 27 years old
Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old
Javier Jorge Reyes, 40 years old
Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old
Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old
Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25 years old
Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old
Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old
Brenda Marquez McCool, 49 years old
Gilberto R. Silva Menendez, 25 years old
Kimberly Jean Morris, 37 years old
Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old
Luis Omar Ocasio Capo, 20 years old
Geraldo A. Ortiz Jimenez, 25 years old
Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old
Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old
Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old
Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old
Jean Carlos Nieves Rodríguez, 27 years old
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano-Rosado, 35 years old
Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old
Yilmary Rodríguez Solivan, 24 years old
Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old
Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old
Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old
Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24 years old
Juan Pablo Rivera Velázquez, 37 years old
Luis Sergio Vielma, 22 years old
Franky Jimmy DeJesus Velázquez, 50 years old
Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old
Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old
Rainbow Democrats, Inc. 