My hometown is more than just a beautiful city holding theme parks and outlet malls. Orlando has always been a city of acceptance and love for as long as I can remember. You normally can't go anywhere without someone saying hello or smiling at you, especially at Pulse. Usually a night club feels impersonal as strangers mill and move about you, but at Pulse, walking inside immediately felt like home to anyone who just needed a safe place if even for just a few hours. You were free to be yourself and to express yourself, regardless of your race or sexual orientation.
Pulse provided the chance to be free and enjoy yourself. On occasion they held costume and talent competitions where many in attendance would come dressed up to fit the theme. The talent competitions were always so much fun, you could watch some of the best Drag Queens perform and cheer them on. These nights hold memories that I kept in my heart but will now hold fonder and dearer than before. The one thing no one tells you about tragedy is how helpless you feel when it happens to you.
Waking up the morning after the Pulse attack was the most surreal moment of my life thus far. No one thinks a terrorist attack of this magnitude will ever happen where they live or in their home town. Our city was invaded by an outside force of ignorance, and an unspeakable act of pure hatred was committed. An establishment that I and many others have gone to and have made so many amazing memories at had become a place of tragedy and death. Many awoke the following morning to breaking news and broken hearts, not entirely sure whether any of their relative or friends were at Pulse and if they had survived the night. An entire community was ripped apart and as the news continued to break, so did the hearts of the nation.
As the days passed and more news of victims, and Omar Mateen's intentions and motivations surfaced, I saw my city beautiful supporting one another emotionally and by giving back to one another. My peers and neighbors were all leaning on one another and providing encouragement as they discovered news about friends who were trapped, injured, and who tragically were unable to find safety. Random strangers were lining up by the hundreds to donate blood. Many restaurants stayed open more hours and on days they would normally be closed in order to feed those who were waiting for their loved ones in hospitals. Airlines even provided free trips to those who needed to fly into Orlando to visit a victim. Our city came together in such a beautiful and inspiring way; it was truly displaying itself as the Orlando I know and love. Thousands flocked to vigils and rallies to show support.
I am so proud of Orlando for coming together in a time of terror. Mateen attacked a city, yes, but more importantly he attacked a community within the city of Orlando that we have embraced with love and acceptance and will continue to embrace in such a way. Omar Mateen is a man that acted in representation of a much larger body of hate and discrimination and something that needs to be stopped. Regardless of how you attack a community, specifically the LGBT community, they will find support and prove how unstoppable they truly are. United, we will prove that love is unstoppable and will overcome all forms of hate and bigotry. Orlando continues to prove this as rebuilding and healing continues throughout the city. Just the other night another popular bar in Orlando, Southern Nights raised over $80,000.
The times we live in are too good to be reducing ourselves to such ignorance and intolerance. We must overcome the hate and rise together, united in love and acceptance of the differences that make us human. We must be better than the hate surrounding us and be there for one another just like the citizens of Orlando are. I am proud to be from Orlando, I am proud to have had the opportunity to make wonderful memories at Pulse and to have shared the loving and accepting atmosphere it provided. To my family and friends who are hurting, the families of those affected and victimized, and to the Pulse family, I'm sorry that we have allowed something so hateful to occur in our country. I will be here by your side, we can get through this together. Families come in all sizes and sorts, and unconditional love can be experienced from anyone, even friends you make at a night club. Let's teach the generations to come how to love without reservations and stipulations.
