06/12/2026
10 years ago, on June 12th, 2016, at 2:02 am, our community was forever impacted. 49 lives were lost at the Pulse Nightclub located right in the heart of South Orlando. Pulse was a place for LGBTQIA+ members of our community to feel safe, included, and to give them a sense of belonging; this was shattered during Pulse’s Latin Night event. 300 people were present that night. 49 lives were lost, and 58 more were injured, marking this as the deadliest mass shooting in America at the time. On this day, we commemorate the lives lost and the friends and family affected by this horrendous incident. This was not only a tragedy that affected Orlando, but the entire q***r community worldwide.
To pay your respects, today we ask that you keep these individuals in your mind. Even visiting the memorial, it is scattered with Pride and Puerto Rican flags representing the Latin members of our community lost that night. Members of our collective have tried to dampen the way that we pay our respects to these 49 angels, and we cannot let that happen. 10 years may seem like a long time, but there is still work to do. To protect ourselves as members of the q***r community and as allies, we must keep certain things in mind. Be mindful, stay aware of your surroundings, stay close to those you’re with, and always protect your fellow community members.
Pulseorlando.org and npr.org’s article on it are great resources if you are interested in learning more about this tragedy.
