Finger on the Pulse

PHOTO

Place where Omar Mateen, killed 49 people and wounded 53 others in a terrorist attack/hate crime inside Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States.

FINGER ON THE PULSE

AN OVERVIEW OF THE ADVANCES MADE BY ONEPULSE FOUNDATION FIVE YEARS AFTER THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB MASSACRE.

BY JOHN SOTOMAYOR

The festivities of a mother-daughter trip outside of the United States as a high school graduation present to her daughter ended abruptly for Barbara Poma in the early morning hours of June 12, 2016 when she received a devastating phone call. The LGBTQ+ nightclub she owned in Orlando, Pulse, was attacked by a gunman for reasons unknown at the time, as told to her at 2:06 AM by one of her nightclub managers. Shocked and dismayed, Poma pressed her available hand to her mouth and shook her head in disbelief as she heard the details. Forty-nine people have died and 53 others were injured. The lone gunman, Omar Mateen, 29, was shot by police and killed in a three-hour standoff. She immediately went into emergency protocol action, requesting a roll call to make sure her staff were safe and discover who was sent where. Poma turned on the TV and watched the news as did the rest of the world until she could re-

Shortly after, Poma created onePULSE Foundation. After considerable thought and advice, Poma decided to convert the property and what remains of the night-

“Because of the shock and trauma, the only thing I could think to do was ask who has done this before? Who knows what to do in this situation?” said Poma. Poma attended various gatherings, including one against gun violence where she met Myra Alvear, mother of Amanda Alvear, one of the 49. The two women bonded. Poma consulted those who worked on previous national memorials such as the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, which built a memorial after the Oklahoma City domestic terrorist truck bombing in April 1995. She spoke with Kari Watkins, the executive director. Poma also spoke with Alice M. Greenwald, the executive director of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, constructed after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001. She traveled to each site with Alvear as well as to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.

After round table discussions at the three locations, Poma’s next step was to form a task force with victims’ families, survivors, and first responders, as well as local civic and faith leaders from the LGBTQ+ community who were all invited to be part of the process. Alvear was among the first to join the task force.

The next step was to build a board made up of leaders from Orlando and around the nation, because they knew it would be a national effort to get the foundation and its objectives created.

The Foundation board developed the four pillars of the onePULSE mission, which are to create and support a memorial that opens hearts, a museum that opens minds, educational programs that opens eyes, and legacy scholarships that opens doors.

A MEMORIAL THAT OPENS HEARTS

The National Pulse Memorial & Museum project will break ground in phases, beginning first with the Orlando Health Survivors Walk, then followed by the National Pulse Memorial and then the Pulse Museum itself.

On June 21, 2021, onePULSE Foundation announced its selection of Gilbane Building Company in association with T&G Constructors, as the construction management rm to build the National Pulse Memorial & Museum in Orlando.

According to Poma and Scott Bowman, Chief Communications Officer, onePULSE Foundation plans to build the National Pulse Memorial on the site of the Pulse nightclub. The museum and education center will be located at 438 West Kaley Street – approximately one-third of a mile from Pulse. The Orlando Health Survivors Walk will trace the three-block journey many victims and survivors took the night of the tragedy from the Pulse nightclub to get to Orlando Regional Medical Center.

“Gilbane Building Company’s mission and values are deeply aligned with onePULSE Foundation,” said Dale Hipsh, senior vice president of hotels with Hard Rock International and chair of the onePULSE Foundation Design and Construction Committee. “The rm has extensive experience in building historic cultural institutions and iconic destinations including the National Air and Space Museum, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the National World War II memorial.” Hipsh continued, “These projects demonstrate a commitment to excellence and honoring sacred spaces and stories, which was a crucial factor in the team selection process.”

The project is currently in the schematic design phase and following that will be the design development stage. The next phase will include Gilbane Building Company and T&G Constructors working with the Owner’s Representative PMA and design rm Coldefy with RDAI and HHCP to update the project timeline, master plan and budget, and to ensure that design and construction is coordinated with other public improvements already planned by the City of Orlando.

“Like so many other nonprofits across the world over the past year, onePULSE Foundation has been impacted by COVID-19. Although the pandemic has altered the trajectory of our work, the National Pulse Memorial & Museum project continues to move forward,” said Hipsh. “At this time, we are evolving the master plan and working toward a new project timeline.”

Amanda Alvear, victim of shooting, with her mother, Myra Alvear, Pulse activist.

A MUSEUM THAT OPENS MINDS

The Pulse Museum will eventually utilize artifacts and images from a variety of sources including its internal collection, artists, photographers, the Orange County Regional History Center’s collection, as well as the possibility of loans from other institutions worldwide.

“There are thousands of artifacts from and related to the Pulse tragedy, including items left behind from the community, artwork, family and survivor mementos,” said Poma. The Pulse building itself is the largest artifact.

There will be an impactful, immersive educational component in the museum. In addition to the Pulse nightclub story and the detailed stories of the victims, survivors and rst responders, there is also history to be told regarding what safe space means for the LGBTQ+ community.

“This is the most important part as far as the families of the 49 are concerned. All the rosaries, photos, and quilts, everything that was left at the memorial site, is important to us but more than that, what we care the most about is to tell the stories of our children,” said Alvear. “Not just a photo. Our children were taken very abruptly. They did not deserve that. As a museum, they have to tell a story, right? So, I want the story of my daughter to be told,

L’Oreal USA signs on as Founding Legacy Donor

On April 21, 2021, onePULSE Foundation announced that L’Oreal USA donated $400,000 from its Inclusive Beauty Fund to sponsor four annual beauty scholarships as part of the onePULSE Foundation’s 49 Legacy Scholarship Program. “We are proud to be a Founding Legacy Donor of the onePULSE Foundation and support their life-affirming mission. We hope our contribution can help to bring more beauty into the world despite this unfathomable tragedy,” said Stephane Rinderknech, President and CEO of L’Oreal USA. For more information about the onePULSE Legacy Scholarship Campaign, contact onePULSE Foundation at 407-775-4611, ext. 413 or gk@one-

as well as the stories of the other 48 Angels. I want people to know them, not just a picture. They were all amazing kids. Amazing human beings. They need to get to know Amanda. To know Mercedes. To know Stanley. The people need to hear their voices.” Alvear is clear, she wants to be most directly involved in the content selection of the museum.

“It will also extend to conversations about terrorism, faith, immigration, cultural beliefs and practices, the response from the world, and how to effect change at the individual, group, and community level for all marginalized communities,” said Bowman.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT OPEN EYES

onePULSE Academy is the educational arm of the onePULSE Foundation. “It is committed to promoting acceptance and inclusion through innovative, reflective, experimental learning methods,” said Poma. “Its four specific functions are to provide educational programs that facilitate prosocial behavior; educational platforms that promote acceptance and inclusion; educational site tours that create safer learning communities; and an education hub for knowledge and information on social issues.” It aims to positively impact social change at the individual, group and community levels.

Pulse Nightclub Interim Memorial.

THE FIVE-YEAR PULSE REMEMBRANCE WEEK

Consisting of both virtual and in-person events for those already vaccinated for Covid-19, onePULSE Foundation paid tribute to those lost or injured at the Pulse shooting with the Five-Year Pulse Remembrance Week from Saturday, June 5 to Saturday, June 12, 2021.

Remembrance Week kicked o with the 5th Annual 4.9K CommUNITY Rainbow Run at Wadeview Park in downtown Orlando, presented by Orlando Health and Hard Rock International, in partnership with the UCF DeVos Sport Business Management Program. A series of 18 events were held during the week. Some of the highlights included:

• “Straight Men Real Makeup” held at HAOS on Church presented by Makeup and Creative Arts and Morphstore.com, whereby eight straight men performed a choreographed routine dressed in full drag. The event presented much needed levity.

• “An Evening of Reflection and Promise” at Dr. Phillips Center Frontyard Festival and hosted by One Orlando Alliance, served to create a pathway for healing for the LGBTQ+

community from religious-based discrimination. It featured a panel of LGBTQ+ people of diverse faith and thought backgrounds.

• “United We Dance’’ held as a street party between HAOS on Church, Hamburger Mary’s and Pepe’s Cantina, provided a night of music and dance to celebrate the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community, the City Beautiful, survivors, first responders, and the 49. The event presented unity.

• “Five-Year Remembrance Ceremony” held at the Pulse Interim Memorial by invitation only, with live streaming open to the general public at Dr. Phillips Center, concluded the week.

Two other events were held after: “Orlando Pride Match ‘Mission Rainbow’” on June 20 and “Orlando City Match ‘Pride in Our City ’” on June 22, both at Exploria Stadium. The soccer games by the Orlando City Soccer Club and the Orlando Pride Women’s Team benefited onePULSE Foundation and were attended by over 20,000 combined.

Turn to page 36 for our visual essay of Remembrance Week

Memorial for Orlando shooting victims outside the United States Consulate in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 14 June 2016.

In 2021, onePULSE Foundation launched its educational programming with four free virtual film screenings called Conversation Starters, part of a broader Conversation Series, sponsored by JPMorgan Chase. The film screenings and accompanying panel discussions will be held quarterly.

“We are thrilled to partner nationally with these amazing writers and directors to showcase their important work and to have courageous conversations following the short film screenings,” said Dr. Earl Mowatt, vice president of education at onePULSE Foundation. “Our goal with all of our educational programming is to celebrate how we are more alike than different.”

“JPMorgan Chase is committed to creating diverse, inclusive teams that support our clients, our community, and each other,” said Patty Burton, executive director of Retail Banking and chair of the Central Florida Market Leadership Team at JPMorgan Chase. “We want everyone to feel welcomed and valued, so we’re proud to partner with onePULSE Foundation and the Conversation Series to promote greater acceptance and inclusion for all.”

LEGACY SCHOLARSHIPS THAT OPEN DOORS

Working with the families and loved ones of those killed, onePULSE Foundation established the scholarships based on the respective victims’ interests, careers or aspirations. “As an extension of their impact on our world, the scholarships will inspire and empower students who share similar dreams, ambitions and goals,” said Poma.

“They are available for undergraduate and graduate students,” added Bowman. The first class of recipients were awarded in 2019 for the 2019-2020 academic year.

“When I spoke with the families of the 49, they would always thank me for everything we were doing but emphasized that their lost loved ones were more than a name read on a wall or a face in a composite photo,” said Poma. “They want people to know who they were, what their life was like so we decided the best way to do so was to match the scholarships to the professional goals each of the 49 had planned for themselves.”

“The Legacy Scholarship to me is also very dear to my heart because it is something that the 49 never got to finish,” said Alvear, her voice trembling as she spoke. “My daughter and the other 48, their lives were cut short, so all their inspirations, what they would do in this world, were gone. The things they aspired to be and do in their lives, they are no longer able to do it. So, we are giving someone else the opportunity to do it on their behalf, in their name. To me, it is important they chose someone who wants to study nursing, like Amanda wanted to become a nurse. That someone gets to do what my daughter didn’t get the chance to do because she was taken from us.”

On May 18, 2021, onePULSE Foundation announced the second class of 49 Legacy Scholarship recipients who were awarded $236,300 in scholarships to be used during the 2021-2022 academic year.

The second class represents incoming freshmen majoring in aerospace engineering, business, communications, clinical mental health counseling, international relations, and the performing arts, as well as beauty/cosmetology, nursing, medical, law and master’s studies, as well as trade school. The 49 recipients come from all over the United States and have a common thread of community service, leadership and advocacy. “This scholarship means the world to me. As a daughter of immigrants who paved their way to the American dream, being able to tell them that I was awarded this scholarship was mostly their accomplishment,” said Valentina Diaz. “I am a global and international studies major and a diversity and social studies minor. I just signed up for the Peace Corps and I hope to be able to continue my growth wherever they place me.”

“I am honored to receive the onePULSE Foundation Legacy Scholarship and to carry on the legacy and light of the 49 Angels,” said Jack Cocchiarella. “I plan to study government at Dartmouth College and pursue a career in politics, and one day plan to hold public o ce. In everything I do, I will always out-love hate.”

The application process for the next class will open on December 1, 2021, and run through January 31, 2022. To apply, visit the onePULSE Foundation website at onepulsefoundation.org.

Advent Health University, Foundation for Seminole State College of Florida and Valencia College Foundation are the program’s academic institution partners.

The Legacy Scholarships are funded in part by the generosity of major donors, including: AdventHealth, AlixPartners, The Brumback Family, The Earl and Bettie Fields Automotive Group Foundation, Geico, Gucci, L’Oreal, New York City Pride, Orlando Health, PVH Foundation, and Wendy Tramill.

The application process for the next class will open December 1, 2021, and run through January 31, 2022. They are available for undergraduate and graduate students. To apply, visit onepulsefoundation.org.

OPPOSITION AND A PRESIDENTIAL DESIGNATION

Not everyone agreed with the idea of a foundation or memorial. Some family members opposed both. When Poma spoke with the directors of the other memorials in Oklahoma and New York City, they advised her she would face opposition.

Conversation Starters Films

In 2021, onePULSE Foundation launched its educational programming with four free virtual film screenings called Conversation Starters, part of a broader Conversation Series, sponsored by JPMorgan Chase. If you haven’t had a chance to see these remarkable short films yet, onePULSE Foundation invites you to watch them. They were:

• “90 Days” Written by Nathan Hale Williams and directed by Williams and Jennia Fredrique Aponte, the film is based on a true story of a young woman who informs the man she is dating that she is HIV positive.

• “Disarm Hate (Editor’s Cut)” Directed by Julianna Brudek and narrated by the iconic actor Harvey Fierstein, the film chronicles nine diverse LGBTQ+ activists who come together after the Pulse nightclub massacre to join Jason P. Hayes, a hairdresser, and an activist from New Jersey on a crusade.

• “From Selma to Stonewall Are We There Yet?”

Featuring Rev. Gil Caldwell, a black, straight preacher and Civil Rights Movement foot soldier, and Marilyn Bennett, a white, lesbian author and activist who form an unusual bond as they seek to find the intersection between the Civil Rights and LGBTQ+ Equality movements.

“That was what everyone at every single site told me,” said Poma. “Be prepared for the differences of opinion.” Differences of opinion are not unique to onePULSE Foundation. “It’s happened in every community where other tragedies have occurred before Pulse and after Pulse,” said Poma. “We are dealing with something that is steeped in tragedy and includes loss of loved ones, and you cannot put a timeline on people’s grief.”

It is imperative to onePULSE Foundation that the victims’ families, survivors, and first responders are always the first to be informed and the first to present feedback.

Then there are others who see the value in both the onePULSE Foundation and for a memorial. On June 25, 2021, President Joe Biden signed H.R.49, a law designating the Pulse nightclub in Orlando as a national memorial at a White House ceremony.

“A place of acceptance and joy became a place of unspeakable pain and loss. We’ll never fully recover, but we’ll remember,” Biden said. He added, “May no president ever have to sign another monument like this.”

At the time of the attack, the Pulse massacre was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, and the victims were mostly members of Florida’s LGBTQ+ and Latino communities.

THE 49 ANGELS

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