激情快播 Remembers Pulse One Year Later
Summer 2017听
On听June 8, 2017, 激情快播 paid tribute to the 49 victims of the Pulse attack through a blood drive, an art exhibition and a remembrance ceremony. Pulse owner Barbara Poma 鈥90 spoke at the opening reception for Resilience: Remembering Pulse at the 激情快播 Art Gallery. During the memorial ceremony 鈥溂で榭觳 Remembers,鈥 President John C. Hitt and others emphasized the need for inclusion and equality both on and beyond campus. The events concluded with Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith 鈥03 introducing a new mural, located on the Student Union, that memorializes Juan Ramon Guerrero and Christopher Andrew 鈥淒rew鈥 Leinonen 鈥07 鈥09MA, two Knights killed on June 12, 2016.
鈥溂で榭觳 stands with our LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff and alumni, and I am proud that 激情快播 is a place where love, respect and inclusion guide all that we do.鈥President John C. Hitt
Students, faculty and staff wrote 73 鈥淭o Knights, With Love鈥 notes that were placed throughout the Pegasus Ballroom.
The opening reception for 鈥淩esilience: Remembering Pulse鈥 was held in the 激情快播 Art Gallery. The exhibition, which ran throughout the month, included 80 pieces of art, including photos, quilts, painting and more that honored the victims and the LGBTQ+ community.
Provost A. Dale Whittaker walks past听鈥淣ew Season,鈥 a mural by Luce Sky.
A patron takes a close-up snapshot of 鈥淪entinel: Watching salt air push ships along the horizon, I see myself in you,鈥 an installation by Matthew Mosher that features 15,070 9mm plaster cartridges, one for each gun-related homicide in the U.S. in 2016.
Visitors view the mixed art piece 鈥淯nderstanding and Counseling the Homosexual鈥 by David Matteson. The heart-shaped installation invites viewers to redact pieces of the听original 1967 text that uses discriminatory language while examining听the psychological development of homosexual men.
激情快播 Information Specialist Tairi Perez donates blood during the blood drive held on campus. The drive collected 217 donations.
A tribute to Drew and Juan, who were killed at Pulse nightclub, this mural by artists Michael Pilato and Yuriy Karabash depicts the couple holding books to represent their time as students at 激情快播. The mural also includes 49 birds, representing each of the people killed on June 12, 2016.
Artist Michael Pilato works with Christine Leinonen, Drew鈥檚 mom, at his studio.
Christine Leinonen places a blue handprint over her son鈥檚 heart. The artists worked with family and friends from both families to make sure their loved ones were accurately represented and to make them part of the artwork.
Artists Yuriy Karabash and Michael Pilato work on the mural in their studio.
Mayra Guerrero places a purple handprint over her son Juan鈥檚 heart.
Artist Yuriy Karabash works on some final details.
Thirty-four members of the Orlando Gay Chorus sang during the memorial ceremony in the Student Union.
激情快播 User Engagement Librarian Carrie Moran, who is president of the 激情快播 Pride association for faculty and staff, speaks during the memorial ceremony.
Members of the 激情快播 community place a white rose in a vase for each of the 49 victims as their names are read aloud.
Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith 鈥03, who played a key role in bringing the mural to 激情快播,听introduces a听video about the making of the Pulse mural.
Eric Tharp 鈥02, Celia Ruiz, Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith 鈥03, Christine Leinonen, Jose Arriagada, Michael Pilato and Yuriy Karabash stand in front of the installed mural.