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Pulse 5 Years Later

By Signe Espinoza, PPPA Interim Executive Director | June 11, 2021, noon

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Today marks five years since the tragic mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida that resulted in the stolen lives of 49 people and many injured others—most of them Latinx and LGBTQ+. At Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates (PPPA), we know that the fight for LGBTQ+ people, particularly LGBTQ+ Black, Indigenous, People of Color, is far from over. Since the Pulse nightclub shooting, two important issues remain constant: 

  1. We must address gun violence, and pass common sense gun laws.

  2. We must address hate crimes, and pass laws that protect the LGBTQ+ community.

We reject and condemn all acts of violence, discrimination, and hatred.  We believe that all people deserve personal bodily autonomy, the ability to decide whether they want to parent, and freedom from violence no matter how much money they make, who they love, where they live, or what their immigration status is. 

The LGBTQ+ community deserves better. During pride month and everyday, we must commit to building safe communities where people are free from violence and discrimination. May we always remember and honor the victims of Pulse and continue the fight for our most vibrant and resilient communities.

At PPPA, we recommit to honoring the Pulse victims with action. 
 

And we say their names:

  • Stanley Almodovar III, 23

  • Amanda Alvear, 25

  • Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26

  • Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33

  • Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21

  • Martin Benitez Torres, 33

  • Antonio D. Brown, 30

  • Darryl R. Burt II, 29

  • Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24

  • Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28

  • Simon A. Carrillo Fernandez, 31

  • Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25

  • Luis D. Conde, 39

  • Cory J. Connell, 21

  • Tevin E. Crosby, 25

  • Franky J. Dejesus Velazquez, 50

  • Deonka D. Drayton, 32

  • Mercedez M. Flores, 26

  • Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22

  • Juan R. Guerrero, 22

  • Paul T. Henry, 41

  • Frank Hernandez, 27

  • Miguel A. Honorato, 30

  • Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40

  • Jason B. Josaphat, 19

  • Eddie J. Justice, 30

  • Anthony L. Laureano Disla, 25

  • Christopher A. Leinonen, 32

  • Brenda L. Marquez McCool, 49

  • Jean C. Mendez Perez, 35

  • Akyra Monet Murray, 18

  • Kimberly Morris, 37

  • Jean C. Nieves Rodriguez, 27

  • Luis O. Ocasio-Capo, 20

  • Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25

  • Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36

  • Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32

  • Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25

  • Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37

  • Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24

  • Christopher J. Sanfeliz, 24

  • Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35

  • Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25

  • Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34

  • Shane E. Tomlinson, 33

  • Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25

  • Luis S. Vielma, 22

  • Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37

  • Jerald A. Wright, 31

Tags: LGBTQ

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