Pulse Shooting Day Of Remembrance Brings Together LGBTQ, Muslim, And Latinx Communities
Washington, D.C.-The undersigned 59 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ), American Muslim, and Latinx organizations released the following statement in advance of the first day of remembrance of the June 12, 2016 massacre at the LGBTQ nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida. The statement was convened by national civil rights organizations including Muslim Advocates, the National LGBTQ Task Force, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC):
"One year ago, in the aftermath of the Orlando tragedy, we came together in grief, in unity, and in solidarity with the Orlando community and millions of people everywhere, to condemn this act of hate violence and affirm that love conquers hate. That senseless act struck at the heart of the LGBTQ and Latinx communities, families, and close friends, and at the core of one of our nation's greatest strengths: our diversity. The ensuing backlash against the American Muslim community led to hate speech and violence, shootings, and mosque vandalism that claimed even more victims.
The acts of kindness that followed also illustrated that, even in our darkest moments, and despite the repeated attempts to use fear to further divide us, time and time again, the people of this country come together to console and support those in need.
As we remember those we lost and their families, we renew our commitment to honor them with action by protecting one another and our country's ideals of freedom, liberty, and equality under the law for all people.
This day of remembrance comes during LGBTQ Pride Month and the holy month of Ramadan. As we reflect on the past year, we are deeply concerned about the direction of our country including efforts to divide Americans from one another by demonizing and scapegoating many of our communities–but we are also proud of the millions of Americans of all faiths, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, and backgrounds who continue to rebuff those attempts by stepping up to defend our highest ideals.
We have been reminded countless times that a threat against any one community is a threat against all of us, and that we must take notice and action. As our communities resist a massive rollback of civil rights protections at the state and federal level and a rising tide of hate violence, we stand together ever stronger, ever braver, and ever more resolute to resist these attacks and move forward with love and acceptance for all."
Signed,
- Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
- League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
- Muslim Advocates
- National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
- National LGBTQ Task Force
- Advocates for Youth
- Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA)
- Auburn Seminary
- Bend the Arc Jewish Action
- BiNet USA
- Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network
- Center For Black Equity
- CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers
- DignityUSA
- Eliminate Hate Campaign
- Equality California
- Equality Federation
- Equality Florida
- Farmworker Justice
- GLAAD
- GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
- GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality
- Harvard Islamic Society (and Anti-Islamophobia Network)
- Islamic Networks Group (ING)
- Lambda Legal
- Los Angeles LGBT Center
- LPAC
- Media Matters for America
- Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA)
- Muslim Public Affairs Council
- Muslims for Progressive Values
- National Black Justice Coalition
- National Center for Lesbian Rights
- National Center for Transgender Equality
- National Coalition for LGBT Health
- National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
- National Congress of American Indians
- National Council of Jewish Women
- National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP_
- National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
- National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
- National Women's Law Center
- NEAT – National Equality Action Team
- New Ways Ministry
- NMAC
- Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
- Out2Enroll
- OutRight Action International
- OutServe – SLDN
- People For the American Way
- PFLAG
- Pride at Work
- ReconcilingWorks
- SAGE
- The Trevor Project
- Voto Latino
- Whitman-Walker Health
- Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER)
The National LGBTQ Task Force works to secure full freedom, justice, equality, and equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. For over forty years, we have been at the forefront of the social justice movement by training thousands of organizers and advocating for change at the federal, state, and local level. www.thetaskforce.org