We are a coalition of over 30 LGBTQ+ organizations working together to transform Central Florida into a safe and inclusive community where all LGBTQ+ people can thrive. Within days of the Pulse tragedy, the Alliance was formed to ensure existing LGBTQ+ organizations communicated and collaborated in an effective way to support the needs of the community. For the first time in Orlando history, nearl
y all of the LGBTQ+ organizations came together to work in a collaborative and transparent way to serve those affected - including victim’s families, survivors, Pulse employees, and the larger community also struggling with trauma, grief, and fear. In the following weeks and months after the tragedy, Alliance members prioritized the needs of the community, particularly the Family Assistance Center (FAC) and subsequently the Orlando United Assistance Center (OUAC) while also providing direct assistance to those impacted in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Polk counties. All the while, each individual organization continued to provide their respective programs/services while ‘staying in their lanes’ with the assurance that they could call upon fellow Alliance members, as needed. In order to make decisions holistically and for the benefit of the entire community, it is imperative that all voices are represented. Having Alliance representation in the decision-making process will help ensure a thoughtful, inclusive, and collaborative strategy for not only continuing to heal our community but building on the lessons learned from this extraordinary tragedy. It will also ensure that current gaps in services are addressed and that services are not unnecessarily duplicated. As we look ahead, the One Orlando Alliance will exist to help support a diverse, inclusive, and unified future for Central Florida's LGBTQ+ community. Our guiding principles of communication and collaboration have not only remained, they have proven to unite and strengthen. Collectively, we have also agreed that we must ensure that all who gather around the table do-so with specific objectives that lift up our community, as well as fellow Alliance members, without diluting the impact of any one organization or the coalition as a whole. One Orlando Alliance members are committed to supporting one another and empowering fellow members by strengthening the voice of the extremely diverse LGBTQ+ community and solidifying our collective position in the greater Central Florida community. When we do that, we understand that all involved will prosper and that this movement is so much greater than the collective participants and will/should affect the progress of our community for decades to come. Each Alliance member is also committed to leading as good stewards of the intentions from donors around the world through accountability, action, transparency. Orlando is a generous and resilient city and the LGBTQ has been embraced like never before. We, and so many wonderful organizations, were able to help those directly affected with immediate needs and now we need to focus on sustainable action to heal and strengthen our community. They, and our larger community, still have a lot of healing to do and that's going to take years. Ensuring that services, programs, and resources are in place to support and empower the extremely diverse LGBTQ+ population, and supportive allies, requires diverse and inclusive representation from all aspects of our community and we must ensure that those who are guiding these decisions are credible, that they have the capacity and expertise to commit to long term strategic planning, and that they hold the legitimacy to help shape the future for not only the LGBTQ+ community but the greater Central Florida community. While the Alliance initially came together to honor and support the victim’s families and the survivors, we are now in the position of shaping the LGBTQ+ community of Central Florida into we want it to be, through healing and empowerment. As we build the nonprofit organization of the One Orlando Alliance, we collectively commit to respect, collaboration, and love - the essence of “Orlando United” and our city. Whether we invite it or not, we will continue to serve as a model of what to do, or not do, in the face of tragedy. We have been show enormous generosity and with that comes the extraordinary responsibility and opportunity to not only heal our community but to propel it to new heights through transformative cultural change. Whether you call us the "One Orlando Alliance" or simply the "Alliance" doesn't really matter. What is important is that you know that this is not just another new nonprofit. Rather, it is a united coalition of over 35 LGBTQ+ organizations, all committed to serving our community. That's how cultural transformation happens and that's why we are proud to say we are Orlando United!
