America was shocked early Sunday by the news of a mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, at a gay night club during Pride week. That anger and devastation would soon skyrocket by the news that there were 50 people killed during this, making it the worst public shooting in American history since the Battle of Wounded Knee in the late 1800s. These people were there to have a good time, to celebrate who they are, celebrate their pride, and to do so in what they assumed was a safe environment. While many people claim terrorism and radical ideologies, the fact is that no matter what the shooter claimed, this was an act of hatred. It was an attempt to create fear and spread hatred brought on by the fact that this man couldn’t stand the idea of two people of the same sex being happy and in love. The LGBT community has come so far in the past several decades, and the responses of people around the world show that we can come together as one. Thousands of people lined up to give blood, vigils were held in cities around the world, and we’ve shown everyone that we will not be so easily suppressed or defeated. The history of the LGBT community is unfortunately riddled with violence, but we’ve shown that it cannot stop us. We will continue to fight, to be proud, to support each other, to celebrate who we are, and acts of violence like this just make us fight that much harder.

I attended a Pride celebration for the first time this past Saturday and I was amazed by the amount of love and pride that I saw all around me. I was moved by the show of support from the police and fire departments, various city politicians and businesses, and even from some churches in the area. With comments of “thank you for for your service” and “Jesus doesn’t discriminate,” my heart was full and I was happy. It was a fun celebration, a way to let the world know that we’re here, we’re proud, and that can’t be taken away. So it was in stunned shock and disbelief that I realized what had happened in Orlando. It was a very sharp contrast from the fun and celebratory atmosphere that I had been in just hours before. I went through the day in a fog, listening to nonstop coverage of the attack and hardening my resolve to not be swept away by the fear and hatred that this attack was attempting to provoke.

Now more than ever, we as a country and as a community need to come together and support each other, love each other, and fight together. Things need to change. I could write about how gun laws need to change, how violence against the LGBT community needs to be stopped, or how we need to either stop blaming mental illness or change the way we treat them, but I won’t. Instead, I want to encourage you to put aside your prejudice, put aside your religious beliefs, and spread love and support for everyone. This time a year ago the nation was celebrating as same-sex marriage was finally legalized across the country. Now we are mourning the loss of so many innocent lives. June is Pride month. A time to be proud of how far we’ve come. So that’s what I encourage you to do. Stay proud. Stay strong. Don’t let this stop you from being you.

This has proven that no matter how many obstacles the LGBT community has overcome, there are many more that we have to face. The fight isn’t over, it’s not all peachy keen. And at the same time, we will not be silent, or suppressed, or ignored.

My heart aches. My eyes burn with unshed tears and my chest is tight with a mix of anger and devastation. But none of this compares with what the families and friends of the Orlando victims are going through. It was an act of senseless violence, done out of hate and prejudice. But we won’t let this stop us from fighting. We are strong, proud, and angry. Not invisible, not defeated, not giving up. We are all #orlandostrong and we will not let this be forgotten.