Hispanic Federation Condemns Erasure of Rainbow Crosswalk at Site of Pulse Tragedy
Orlando, FL – In the middle of the night on Wednesday, the Florida government painted over a rainbow crosswalk that acted as a memorial to the victims of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. Below is a statement responding to this concerning development from Laudi Campo, the Florida State Director for Hispanic Federation.
“Almost 10 years ago, 49 people had their lives cut short due to gun violence. Just as the pain of that loss never leaves us, we must continue to remind ourselves of how our community came together around the shared values of compassion, understanding, and acceptance to try and heal from this loss.
The recent removal of the rainbow crosswalk at Pulse is not only deeply disappointing, but also an affront to the memory of the victims and the survivors of that night. Yet the overwhelming outpouring of love and solidarity from Orlando’s residents denouncing of this action is a powerful reminder that we will not allow our dignity or our history to be erased.
What makes Orlando truly “The City Beautiful” is not just its name, but its people. Our community believes in love over hate, in solidarity over division, and in caring for one another as neighbors. The beauty of how people in Orlando support each other is something that cannot be painted over or removed. No act of political pettiness, not even the Governor’s attempts to erase our history, will change that. We are a strong, resilient, and inclusive community that refuses to be silenced. Hispanic Federation will keep working together with organizations in Orlando to always honor the legacy of those we lost at Pulse.”
###
About Hispanic Federation
Hispanic Federation (HF) is a nonprofit membership and advocacy organization, founded in 1990, committed to empowering and advancing the Hispanic community, with a focus on low-income, marginalized, and immigrant Latinos. With programs in 40 states as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia, HF’s focus areas include immigration, economic empowerment, civic engagement, disaster relief, philanthropy, education, health, and the environment. HF also maintains ongoing public education campaigns and meets the organizational development needs of its member agencies through grant-making and capacity-building assistance.
