One Year Later: Reflections on the Pulse Shooting and the Resilience of the Latinx LGBTQ Community
Vigil in response to the Orlando Pulse shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo by Fibonacci Blue, licensed under CC BY 2.0.
On June 12, 2016, the lives of 49 people were taken when Omar Mateen opened fire at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. 90 percent of the victims were Latinx with roots in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. The tragic event – targeting the Latinx LGBTQ community, which already suffers violence at disproportionate rates – devastated this marginalized group.
The pain remains fresh a year later, but the Latinx LGBTQ community continues to keep the memories of the victims alive. To mark the year that’s passed since the shooting, we’ve gathered five stories reflecting on the tragedy and resilience shown in the aftermath.