On June 8th, I joined a couple of thousand people to participate in the Third Annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run to support the onePULSE Foundation. The festivities started at 7:00 am and as the crowd grew the atmosphere was far from the tragedy that brought everyone together.
It was an overcast morning and the rain was coming down in tiny droplets making the streets we walked on a bit slippery. The cobblestone roads that wind around the neighborhoods in south Orlando made for a slow pace, but there were times when I could see the sea of people ahead of me and I was in awe.
The route took us to Orange Avenue and we passed the PULSE Memorial. Loved ones of the victims lined the street and gave high fives of encouragement, and some had tears in their eyes as they witness the multitudes pass to pay their respects. Many stopped and snapped photos of the temporary memorial on display. And as we walked the stretch from Orange Avenue back to the finish line the residents on those side roads were lined up along their driveways, some giving water while others saying words of encouragement and thanks.
For the rest of the day, I thought about this experience and I knew I wanted to write about it. On Sunday morning on the front page of the Orlando Sentinel, there was an article about the onePULSE Foundation and the CEO, Barbara Poma. It is titled "Focused On Healing." It tells the story of Poma and her reasons for opening the PULSE, as well as her reason for wanting to create a memorial at the site of the mass shooting.
Poma opened PULSE in honor of her brother, John who died from AIDS in 1991. She is currently trying to raise $50 million to complete the onePULSE Memorial for the 49 victims. Even though many relatives of the victims have lawsuits against her, she is determined to create this memorial.
However, if the families are not interested in the creation, why not put this fundraising to better use? In the article, there is also a mention of scholarships on behalf of the 49 victims. With the rising cost of education these days, it would be a lasting memorial to every victim of this tragedy if the funds were earmarked for scholarships for not only the victim's families and survivors, but the LGBTQ and Hispanic communities and the heroic first responders as well.
On June 12, 2019, the city paid tribute to PULSE victims with a moment of silence at 9:00 am, church bells ringing at mid-day 49 times, and later people went to the place that was once a nightclub and honored the victims, their families, survivors and first responders of the mass shooting.
Several politicians from the Orlando area made an appearance at one of the few events that took place in these past days. Eskamani, Soto, and Denings joined in agreement that there should be a full and complete audit of the funds and how they are currently being handled. Governor DeSantis and his wife attended the memorial service on the 12th, something Governor Scott avoided during his time in Tallahassee.
In all the articles and news segments about the PULSE Nightclub, what I heard in a very common thread is that it was a safe haven for the LGBTQ community. What puzzles me is why Poma does not what to rebuild? Send the artifacts from the shooting to a local museum. I am sure one would be happy to create a room or space for them to be on display for visitors. Or better yet, why not send them to the Smithsonian? Maybe it is time for the Smithsonian to update the history of guns. Because there is a gun room, and maybe it is time to display what happens when guns are put in the hands of the wrong people.
The city of Orlando came together and volunteering was at an all-time high right after this tragedy. The lines at One Blood donation centers were miles long for days on end. Counselors and aides were available to anyone that needed it. People gave money, time, blood, food, clothing, and prayers and the social media exploded with information regarding this tragedy. Cities around the nation came together to help the community as well. Three years later and One Blood must call many donors and ask them for a donation. There are no lines. Can a memorial bring back the volunteering and social involvement that should be a common core to an ever-evolving community?
I will be the first to say, everyone grieves at their own pace and style, and I would never want my choice for dealing with grief forced on others. Poma, in my opinion, was dealing with the grief of her brother when she created that club and it is the perfect example of moving forward while looking back. However, now she is dealing with the grief of her choice and the loss of innocent victims in her nightclub now.
No one knows the best way to help the survivors and the families left to deal with their loss. However, what might be best for them is to give everyone a safe place again. It does not have to be another nightclub. A place for someone with the need to feel safe and not alone in this world of indifference. A teaching tool for those who don't know or understand the LGBTQ community. A place for people to volunteer and become a part of something bigger than a statue or wall of remembrance.
