After Pulse: Equality Florida

Posted on by Thor

Hannah Willard was the Public Policy Director, for Equality Florida. At the one year mark after the Pulse massacre, she released the following statement…

“Yesterday it was our time to march – and now it’s time to turn this March into a Movement. We must ensure the lasting memorial of the Pulse massacre is the real change of uprooting anti-LGBTQ hatred, discrimination, and violence in our culture.
As news broke of the Pulse massacre that claimed the lives of 49 people, mostly LGBTQ and Latinx young people, our shock and disbelief turned to grief and anger. In the hours, days, and weeks that followed people from around the world reached out to ask how they could help. Our answer was clear and has remained consistent: Honor Them With Action.
It’s not enough to mourn those taken from us. It’s not enough to celebrate our collective resilience. We cannot allow the Pulse massacre to be yet another national tragedy. This must be a national turning point that spurs us to new action.
At a moment when some sought to meet fear with fear and hate with hate, we saw a community come together, united in a commitment to challenge bigotry and hatred, not nourish it. A deep resilience emerged from survivors, victims’ loved ones, Orlando residents, elected leaders, LGBTQ people and our allies around the world. People held vigils and fundraisers to directly aid the families of those killed and the survivors and committed to combating hatred of all kinds.
As we think about all the ways in which our world is different one year later, I challenge you to join me in uprooting and challenging hatred of all kinds, and to take action each and every day to make the world different, better, and safer for all of us. We need you to step up and speak out against all forms of violence, be they mass shootings, genocide abroad, everyday gun violence, vandalism at houses of worship, and yes, even hateful words spoken from a pulpit, a pew, or over the dinner table.
The love and support from around the world has buoyed the Orlando LGBTQ community over the last year. Thank you for standing with us to do the work of fully addressing and combating hatred wherever it exists.”

After Pulse: Melanie Rollman

Posted on by Thor

Advisory: Please note that this post is about the Pulse nightclub massacre on June 12, 2016. It contains sensitive and difficult to read content.

Melanie Rollman is the founder of the Facebook group Conway Critters. She offered pet sitting and dog walking to survivors and victims pets in the aftermath of the Pulse massacre.

After the shooting Maleanie’s son started blowing up her phone about 2am with text messages. He works as an EMT clinical tech at ORMC in the emergency room for the overnight shift. The first text said simply: “24 dead.” Another said, “at Pulse there is a huge shooting.” At this point she could hear all the helicopters flying over her home. Then she turned on the TV to see what was happening.

She knew survivors would be taken care of, to the best of everyone’s ability. But then she thought, what about the people who died? They might have animals at home with no one to return home to take care of them. Some of these people might not have extended family. She decided she had to save the animals somehow.

The next afternoon, she put out on Conway Critters and her personal page, that she would need help to bring this about. She s tarted getting calls from everywhere, as far away as California, and Canada. Several others were doing the same thing. There were just 2 animals that no family members would take. Those 2 went with a 5013c rescue organization. The rest were taken in by family or friends.

She turned her attention instead to collecting and providing all the food and supplies that would be needed to take care of the animals. People who took in these animals might not have the supplies needed to take care of them. A friend who owns the Monograph merchant offered her store as a drop off point. Crates, bowls, collars, leashes, food, toys, treats were collected. A local radio station announced the drop off spot. It was incredible. By day of or three the store owner was calling saying trucks were needed.

It got too big. She couldn’t handle it all herself. She had to delegate responsibilities. Blue at the Venue stepped in and took all the supplies at her theater. The venue couldn’t handle all the incoming donations, so they had to obtain a storage space at the a Track Shack on Mills Avenue. Everything was moved from the Venue to the Track Shack space. The entire space was filled up. It was amazing.

The drive lasted about two months.

Charity Benefit for Pulse

Posted on by Thor

I went to Gods and Monsters (5250 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819) to sketch a charity benefit for Pulse. The tragic attack on Pulse on June 12th  deeply affected our city and our lives. The families of the victims need help, the survivors need help and the staff of Pulse need help as well. We are holding a charity event to raise funds to be donated directly to the GLBT Center of Orlando who in turn will pass these funds on to anyone affected by this tragedy who is in need of assistance.

100% of proceeds from the art auction and raffles goes to the fundraising efforts for the Pulse victims and their families being organized by Hope and Help Center  and the GLBT Center of Orlando. Donations were accepted for water and dry goods and toiletries to donate to the blood donation centers and various counseling sites. Donations were also currently being accepted.

Gods and Monsters also accepted donated items and art for the auction benefit for the victims and their families. Donations could be dropped off at Gods and Monsters anytime during normal hours. There would be raffles, auctions, music and entertainment held throughout the day, starting at 4pm. After 9pm the lounge became 18+ as some entertainment may be more mature in content. Also, 25% of sales all day from both the store and bar are going to be split between the funds for the victims and their families through Hope and Help, the GLBT Center of Orlando, and the Pulse Employee Recovery Fund.

I didn’t notice any signs of the benefit happening while I sketched. I imagine any charitable work happened quietly behind the scenes. A few people sat at the Off World Barhaving drinks. At least 25% of liquor sales went to the  causes. A reporter was also supposed to meet me at the venue to do an interview, but they never showed up. It was a small town response to a monstrous event the reach of which was still rippling around the world.

A New 3D Printer at Art Systems

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Four days after the Pulse Massacre, I found myself at Art Systems (1740 State Road 436, Winter Park, FL 32792) getting some prints. As I waited, I noticed this fellow behind the counter adding finishing touches to a laser printed architectural piece he had made. It looked like a tiny hotel. What was odd was that he spent so much time carving away sections of the print with an Xacto blade. The print was made from thin strips of paper that had been layered one on top of the other. Part of me wonders if there is a practical usage I could have for such technology. I havn’t figured it out yet.

The color printer that was going to run my work broke. I left empty handed and haven’t been back to Art Systems for a print since. Actually, I take that back I did go back one more time but the printer was still broken. Old technology fades away while new technology is pampered and slaved over.