JUST CLICK THE COMMITMENT 2024 TAB. TODAY, THE CITY OF ORLANDO TOOK THE NEXT STEP IN THE EFFORTS TO BUILD A PULSE NIGHTCLUB ATTACK MEMORIAL. THEY’VE ANNOUNCED WHO WILL BE PART OF THE 18 MEMBER PULSE MEMORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. WESH 2’S NANCY ALVAREZ IS HERE WITH MORE ON WHO IS AND IS NOT ON THE COMMITTEE. NANCY. WELL, AS WITH ALL THINGS PULSE, THERE ARE SOME STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT WHO NOW SITS ON THIS COMMITTEE OF 18 AND WILL STEER THE DIRECTION OF A FUTURE PULSE MEMORIAL. 11 OF THEM ARE EITHER SURVIVORS OF THE 2016 ATTACK OR LOST. A FAMILY MEMBER. THE REST WORKED AT PULSE, LOST A FRIEND THAT NIGHT, OR HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO THE TRAGEDY THROUGH THEIR WORK. ALL WERE SELECTED FROM 150 APPLICANTS LOOKING TO HONOR THE 49. AFTER LOSING HER COUSIN DANNY LOLLI, SANTIAGO LEONE VOWED TO ENSURE HIS STORY WOULD BE REMEMBERED. THE CITY OF ORLANDO MADE THAT PROMISE OFFICIAL BY NAMING HER TO THE PULSE MEMORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. I’M HUMBLED AND IT’S JUST A IT’S BEEN A BIG, BIG JOURNEY. LALLY SPOKE TO US FROM PUERTO RICO. THAT’S WHERE DANNY LIVED AND WHERE SHE SAYS HE WAS OFTEN HARASSED FOR BEING GAY. SHE CONVINCED HIM TO MOVE TO CENTRAL FLORIDA, WHERE HE THRIVED UNTIL HE WAS MURDERED AT PULSE. PERSONAL DETAILS. LALLY WILL RECOMMEND BE SHARED FOR EACH OF THE VICTIMS AT A MEMORIAL. SHE WILL NOW HELP DESIGN WHO THEY WERE, WHAT DID THEY BRING TO OUR WORLD, TO OUR FAMILIES, TO OUR FRIENDS, OUR COMMUNITY? AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS TRAGEDY. OTHERS ON THE 18 MEMBER COMMITTEE INCLUDE ARACELIS MARIA JIMENEZ. SHE LIVES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND LOST HER 25 YEAR OLD SON, GIRALDO CESAR RODRIGUEZ, WHO BROKE HIS NECK TRYING TO ESCAPE PULSE AND HAS UNDERGONE MULTIPLE SURGERIES. NORMAN CASIANO SHOT TWICE IN THE BACK AT PULSE AND TERRENCE HUNTER, CEO OF CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY ARTS. HE FREQUENTED PULSE AND HAS EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION AND MUSEUM MANAGEMENT. ALSO IN THE GROUP NANCY ROSADO, A MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST WHO HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH FAMILIES AND SURVIVORS WHILE SHE IS ON THE COMMITTEE, SHE WANTS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE NOT. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT SEEM TO. HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THIS EQUATION FOR THIS COMMITTEE ARE MOMS, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, MOTHERS THAT LIVE IN PUERTO RICO OR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT LIVE IN PUERTO RICO WHO HAVE NOT REALLY BEEN IN THE LOOP, THOSE MOTHERS AND ALL FAMILY MEMBERS AND SURVIVORS ARE ROSADO’S PRIORITY HEADING INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS, HER HOPE TO BRING UNITY TO THE PROCESS OF FINALLY BUILDING A PULSE MEMORIAL. THIS PROCESS IS GOING TO BRING OUT A LOT OF A LOT OF PAIN. IT’S GOING TO BRING OUT A LOT OF DISCOMFORT, A LOT OF OLD ISSUES. BUT WE’RE MOVING FORWARD. SO LIKE, KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE POSITIVE ASPECT OF THIS. BUT TO DO EVERYTHING THROUGH THE LENS OF SURVIVORS AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS, THAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS. NONE OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS SELECTED LIVE SOLELY IN PUERTO RICO, WHICH IS A POINT OF CONTENTION FOR MANY CONNECTED TO PULSE. MANY OF THE VICTIMS FAMILIES AND SURVIVORS LIVE ON THE ISLAND, AND OF THE 18, ONLY TWO ARE PULSE MOTHERS, A GROUP THAT’S BEEN HIGHLY OUTSPOKEN. THESE LAST EIGHT YEARS. THE PULSE MEMORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL MEET PUBLICLY. THE FIRST MEETING IS SET FOR JULY 24TH AT 4 P.M. AT THE KIA CENTER. YOU CAN SEE THE FULL LIST OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND GET
City of Orlando announces selection of 18-member Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee
Updated: 5:44 PM EDT Jul 10, 2024
The city of Orlando is still trying to solidify plans for a permanent memorial honoring the 49 victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting more than eight years after the massacre. Plans for a permanent memorial have been derailed by years of debate, controversy and confusion.In April, the city — which now owns Pulse and is leading the memorial project —announced they had hired a third party out of Texas to lead efforts in engaging stakeholders who want to have input on the memorial.Larry Schooler, who has been a part of other mass shooting memorial efforts, announced the creation of the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee in June. The members of that committee will be tasked with recommending a conceptual design for the memorial by the end of the year. Schooler had said the committee should consist of members representing survivors' and victims' families as well as community leaders and those with technical experience in design and engineering. Watch: WESH 2 Chronicle 'Life After Pulse'According to the city, more than 150 people submitted an application to be on the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee. The applications were reviewed without any names or identifying information. In total, 18 people were chosen to be on the committee. The list provided by the city is as follows: Aracelis Maria Jimenez, lost a family member in the tragedyBrett Rigas, survivor and lost a family member in the tragedyBrian Reagan, survivor, former Pulse employee, artistCarlitos Diaz Rodriguez, family member of a survivor, architect/design professional, landscape architect, artistCesar Rodriguez, survivorFelicia Burt, lost a family member in the tragedyJamie Reed, lost a friend in the tragedy, architect/design professional, marketing professionalJoshua Garcia, former Pulse employee, provided services after the tragedy, mental health professionalKeinon Carter, survivorKelly Dawson, lives in the Orlando area and felt the loss as a community member, architect/design professionalRev. Marcelino Rivera, lost a friend in the tragedy, provided services after the tragedy, clergy and artistMayra Alvear BenabeI, lost a family member in the tragedyNorman Casiano-Mojica, survivorNancy Rosado, provided services after the tragedy, mental health professional, community advocate, former first responderPerry T Snider Jr., lost a friend in the tragedy, former Pulse employee, artistSiclaly "Laly" M. Santiago-Leon, lost a family member in the tragedyTerrance Hunter, regularly visited or patronized Pulse, educator and museum professionalTommy Connelly, survivor, artistAfter losing her beloved cousin, Dany, Laly Santiago-Leon vowed to ensure his story would be remembered.The city of Orlando made that promise official by naming her to the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee.Santiago-Leon spoke to us from Puerto Rico. That's where Dany lived and where she said he was often harassed for being gay. She convinced him to move to Central Florida, where he thrived until he was murdered at Pulse.Santiago-Leon recommended personal details be shared for each of the victims for the memorial she will now help design."Who they were, what did they bring our world, our family, our friends, our community, and what can we learn from this tragedy," Santiago-Leon said.Nancy Rosado is a mental health specialist who's worked closely with families and survivors. While she is on the committee, she wants to raise awareness about those who are not."A lot of the people that seemed to be left out of this equation are moms. For example, mothers that live in Puerto Rico or family members who live in Puerto Rico who have not been in the loop," Rosado said.The committee will meet monthly through the end of the year. At the first meeting, which will take place at the Kia Center on July 24 and 25, the full schedule will be decided. In order to increase transparency about the process, each committee meeting will be open to the public both in-person and online. The meetings will be available in English and Spanish.For more information on the meetings and the option to attend virtually, click here. In addition to the committee, the city is giving survivors, families and other community members an opportunity to give input on the permanent memorial. An open house, held in both English and Spanish, will take place at the Kia Center on July 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.For more information on the tragedy, memorial efforts and historical records, click here.
ORLANDO, Fla. — The city of Orlando is still trying to solidify plans for a permanent memorial honoring the 49 victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting more than eight years after the massacre.
Plans for a permanent memorial have been derailed by years of debate, controversy and confusion.
In April, the city — which now owns Pulse and is leading the memorial project —announced they had hired a third party out of Texas to lead efforts in engaging stakeholders who want to have input on the memorial.
Larry Schooler, who has been a part of other mass shooting memorial efforts, announced the creation of the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee in June. The members of that committee will be tasked with recommending a conceptual design for the memorial by the end of the year.
Schooler had said the committee should consist of members representing survivors' and victims' families as well as community leaders and those with technical experience in design and engineering.
Watch: WESH 2 Chronicle 'Life After Pulse'
According to the city, more than 150 people submitted an application to be on the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee. The applications were reviewed without any names or identifying information.
In total, 18 people were chosen to be on the committee. The list provided by the city is as follows:
- Aracelis Maria Jimenez, lost a family member in the tragedy
- Brett Rigas, survivor and lost a family member in the tragedy
- Brian Reagan, survivor, former Pulse employee, artist
- Carlitos Diaz Rodriguez, family member of a survivor, architect/design professional, landscape architect, artist
- Cesar Rodriguez, survivor
- Felicia Burt, lost a family member in the tragedy
- Jamie Reed, lost a friend in the tragedy, architect/design professional, marketing professional
- Joshua Garcia, former Pulse employee, provided services after the tragedy, mental health professional
- Keinon Carter, survivor
- Kelly Dawson, lives in the Orlando area and felt the loss as a community member, architect/design professional
- Rev. Marcelino Rivera, lost a friend in the tragedy, provided services after the tragedy, clergy and artist
- Mayra Alvear BenabeI, lost a family member in the tragedy
- Norman Casiano-Mojica, survivor
- Nancy Rosado, provided services after the tragedy, mental health professional, community advocate, former first responder
- Perry T Snider Jr., lost a friend in the tragedy, former Pulse employee, artist
- Siclaly "Laly" M. Santiago-Leon, lost a family member in the tragedy
- Terrance Hunter, regularly visited or patronized Pulse, educator and museum professional
- Tommy Connelly, survivor, artist
After losing her beloved cousin, Dany, Laly Santiago-Leon vowed to ensure his story would be remembered.
The city of Orlando made that promise official by naming her to the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee.
Santiago-Leon spoke to us from Puerto Rico. That's where Dany lived and where she said he was often harassed for being gay. She convinced him to move to Central Florida, where he thrived until he was murdered at Pulse.
Santiago-Leon recommended personal details be shared for each of the victims for the memorial she will now help design.
"Who they were, what did they bring our world, our family, our friends, our community, and what can we learn from this tragedy," Santiago-Leon said.
Nancy Rosado is a mental health specialist who's worked closely with families and survivors. While she is on the committee, she wants to raise awareness about those who are not.
"A lot of the people that seemed to be left out of this equation are moms. For example, mothers that live in Puerto Rico or family members who live in Puerto Rico who have not been in the loop," Rosado said.
The committee will meet monthly through the end of the year. At the first meeting, which will take place at the Kia Center on July 24 and 25, the full schedule will be decided.
In order to increase transparency about the process, each committee meeting will be open to the public both in-person and online. The meetings will be available in English and Spanish.
For more information on the meetings and the option to attend virtually, click here.
In addition to the committee, the city is giving survivors, families and other community members an opportunity to give input on the permanent memorial. An open house, held in both English and Spanish, will take place at the Kia Center on July 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information on the tragedy, memorial efforts and historical records, click here.
