Looking Back on Pulse: What Endures Ten Years Later

Last week marked ten years since the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. Across Florida and around the country, people gathered to remember the 49 lives lost, honor survivors, and reflect on the impact that June 12, 2016 continues to have on LGBTQ+ communities.

As Pride Month continues, I've found myself thinking not only about what happened that night, but also about what happened afterward.

In the immediate aftermath of Pulse, Orlando became a powerful example of what community can look like during times of grief. Neighbors supported neighbors. Organizations mobilized resources. People showed up for one another. The city adopted the message "Orlando United," and for many, it became more than a slogan. It became a commitment.

Orlando Health was commended for the trauma response they provided in helping save so many victims. They did such a powerful job, that hospitals across the country began asking them to share how they responded the way they did, hoping it could help other facilities provide the same life saving care, should they need. 

UCF Restores became a champion in providing trauma treatment and support to victims and family members. Work that not only helped support the community but research on how we can help folks who have suffered at the hand of gun violence.

Over the past ten years, Orlando has also continued to honor the lives lost through memorial events, advocacy efforts, educational initiatives, and ongoing support for those affected. The city has worked to ensure that the victims are remembered as people with dreams, relationships, talents, and futures, not simply as names associated with a tragedy.

But, what stands out to me most, is the resilience that followed.

The LGBTQ+ community did not disappear. People continued to gather, celebrate, advocate, love, and build community. Organizations expanded their work. Allies deepened their commitment. New leaders emerged. Spaces of connection and belonging continued to grow.

This will never erase the pain of what happened. Nor should it.

Remembering Pulse means holding two truths at the same time: acknowledging profound loss while also recognizing the strength and resilience that followed.

As we continue through Pride Month, I think there is something important we can learn from Orlando's response over the past decade. Community matters. Showing up matters. Supporting one another matters.

The legacy of Pulse is not only found in remembrance ceremonies or memorials. It is also found in every effort to create safer, more inclusive spaces. It lives in advocacy, allyship, compassion, and the ongoing work of helping people feel seen and valued for who they are.

Ten years later, Orlando's story is not just one of tragedy.

It is also a story of resilience, unity, and a community that refused to let hate have the final word.