Last year, the worst mass shooting in recent history occurred at busy Florida LGBTQ+ nightclub Pulse, resulting in the deaths of 49 people, with 53 more left injured, most of whom were members of the queer Latinx community.
The world mourned with Orlando, and this year, the Orlando community has come together to make sure the events that occurred on June 12 will never be forgotten.
The owner of Pulse nightclub, Barbara Poma, has founded the onePULSE Foundation, which is assisting in raising money for grants, educational scholarships, and is also in the final stages of organising a permanent memorial and museum for the city.
The city of Orlando has also named June 12th as Orlando United Day. Today, being the one-year anniversary of the shooting and therefore the first-ever Orlando United Day, the city has organised a range of services, memorials, and events.
Church bells will toll 49 times at noon, and four services will be held in different parts of Orlando for families, friends, and citizens wishing to pay their respects to those who lost their life in the attack.
Hundreds of people gathered for the CommUNITY Rainbow Run, a 4.9K race in the city's Wadeview Park. Pulse nightclub owner Poma waved a sign stating "We will not let hate win" out the front of the now-closed nightclub, as racers passed by.
Poma told radio station WKMG that the community was coming together in order to pay their respects and support one another in this emotional time: "Orlando will always show how united we are".
There will be a closed service held at the club, specifically for survivors, local officials, and employees of Pulse. There's also a second midday service at the nightclub, as well as a public gathering in the heart of downtown Orlando. Finally, the nightclub will hold a music-filled late-night service on the premises. The club has previously been closed since the attack.
Droves of mourners have been placing items of remembrance at the nightclub in the hours leading up to the anniversary:
People across the globe are posting their memorials to social media:
The Pulse mass shooting was also commemorated in Pride marches, protests, and parades across the US during Pride month:
Huge ovation for float carrying survivors of #PulseNightclub shooting. #BostonPride #NBCBoston@bostonpride pic.twitter.com/Gy53j0wdRn — Jonathan Choe (@choenbcboston) June 10, 2017
The first memorial service at Pulse will overlap with the exact time of the attack, which was a little after 2am on June 12 (4pm AEST).
