How do we remember Pulse? One the anniversary of that dreadful night, it’s hard to put into words the panic that we all felt, the insecurity, the loss, the emptiness, that something like this happened to our community, and what happened within our community.
On a personal note, living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and 1 mile away from Wilton Manors, the LGBT capital of Florida, we were all very distraught that this happened in Orlando for we reside the same distance from the gunman’s home to Orlando. There were many sleepless nights after June 12, 2016, not knowing if there would be an attack here just like the one in Orlando. There were too many thoughts about purchasing a gun in order to be able to protect myself against such an attack. What protection did I have? None came to mind. In the following weeks and months, people, even members of our LGBT community that would be later detained by the FBI, went as far as to threaten Wilton Manors with an event worse than Pulse.
We remember and cannot forget.
One of the ways that we as a community can remember is to never forget those we lost. Back in 2016, CNN’s Anderson Cooper helped to make things very personal and heartfelt as he read out the names and ages of the victims of the massacre that took place in Orlando’s Pulse nightclub.
Those were the lives we lost and there were survivors, too. Soon after the event, we shared a post Thank You Video From Pulse Orlando Victims which contained an emotional video from the survivors of Pulse.
There were so many that were closer to the tragedy than we were, their lives changed forever, but our community will not forget, cannot forget.
One of our writers shared a quick list of The 20 Best Songs to Listen to During Pride Month. Everyone’s PRIDE song list is so very different and personal. A powerful Pride song can energize, make you remember Prides of past, personal challenges and victories, and even some battles you or we still need to fight. One of my Pride songs is a song of remembrance. Pulse came into all of our lives three years ago as a response to Pulse Orlando. It’s a song I do not listen to too often, but it is one that I do play during this time of year.
Back in June, 2016, Brandon Skeie posted this in response to the release of his Pulse collaboration:
The past few days have shaken all of us but they WILL NOT break us. Eli Lieb, Hillary Bernstein, Mimoza Blinsson, & I decided to do what we do best in order to support those affected & those who lost their lives during the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando… write. This song is called Pulse & represents all of us. We are one united body & we must stand together. Spread awareness & donate to the families affected with the links in the description of the video. BE HERE for each other. #weareorlando #feelmypulse
Pulse is just another event for some in our LGBT history, another dot on the timeline of events. But for others, the event still haunts us more than others, is still there and raw, and is a representation of how our internal struggles and powerful external forces upon LGBT individuals can implode and explode. Pride is not a palpable option for some in our community. Pride will never be obtained by many LGBT citizens. Our society still has a long distance to go.
Pulse you’ll always be a part of me and a part of us. We will never forget.
Besides Pulse, Proud is a must play PRIDE song. “What have you done today to make you feel proud.”
Pulse: Song written by Eli Lieb, Brandon Skeie, Hillary Bernstein, and Mimoza Blinsson
LYRICS:
So you say this is human
Your heartbeat versus mine
Im in chains cause I’m choosing
showing love or living life
I shouldn’t have to leave where I stand
I shouldn’t have to change who I am
To count as a human
Feel my pulse
With your hand on my heart
You know it beats just as hard as yours
Feel my pulse
Feel my pulse
Can’t you see that I’m scarred
I’m just the same as you are so just
Feel my pulse
I wish I could reach them
And strip away what separates
It’s the same air we’re breathing
The same tears run down our face
So I don’t have to leave where I stand
And I don’t have to change who I am
To count as a human
Feel my pulse
With your hand on my heart
You know it beats just as hard as yours
Feel my pulse
Feel my pulse
Can’t you see that I’m scarred
I’m just the same as you are so just
Feel my pulse