Pulse was a queer  nightclub founded on July 2nd, 2004 by Barbara Poma and Ron Legler in Orlando, Florida. It was home to many drag performers including Drag Race legends Roxxxy Andrews, Detox, and Coco Montrese. The name “Pulse” came from Barbara’s brother John who died in 1991 from HIV. It was “named for John’s pulse to live on”. The nightclub worked with many local organizations that helped raise awareness of HIV and aimed to make Pulse a safe space for all LGBTQ+ people. Many local drag artists like Axel Andrews, Kai’ja Adonis, Lady Bri, and Blade Matthews hosted weekly shows that would bring together the central Floridian queer community to mingle.

On June 12th, 2016, a mass shooting occurred in which 49 lives were taken away from us and 53 people were wounded. This was a little under a year after gay marriage had been legalized in the United States. This shooting is the deadliest terrorist attack since 9/11 and the deadliest attack against LGBTQ+ people since the UpStairs Lounge arson attack in 1973. This event shifted the LGBTQ+ community. Hundreds mourned the loss of their loved ones and thousands of LGBTQ+ people feared their safety, many refraining from going out for the time being. Many DJs in nightclubs refrained from sampling sound effects that sounded like gunshots. Even now, 7 years later, many of us are extra vigilant when going out. 

Right now, we are reliving a time in which LGBTQ+ rights are no longer at the forefront. Many companies have succumbed to threats from radical right-wingers and the tradition of corporate rainbow logos for Pride is loudly missing this year. Our existence is constantly being erased and recovered at the convenience of the rest of the country. As a community, we must do the work to ensure we never forget events in our queer history and to teach these histories to the youth to help preserve our stories. 

Every year on its anniversary, there are articles urging legislation on gun laws as a result of mass shootings like that of Pulse. Little has been done in the US but the community in Orlando honors the memory of Pulse’s 49 victims. In May 2017, Poma created the onePULSE Foundation in order to fund a memorial museum located where the nightclub used to be. If you’d like to support, check out their Instagram @onepulseorg.