S1: Welcome in San Diego. It's Jade Hindman on today's show here , about a community of friends to honor the lives lost in the pulse nightclub mass shooting ten years ago. This is KPBS Midday edition. Connecting our communities through conversation. Ten years ago this week , 49 people were killed in a shooting at pulse nightclub , an LGBTQ plus space in Orlando , Florida. At the time , it was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. It's a tragedy that continues to affect the community in unimaginable ways. Many are still trying to work through the grief. Others are pushing for gun violence prevention. And now crews in Orlando are demolishing the nightclub to make way for a permanent memorial. Across the country , many groups are holding tributes of their own here in San Diego. The LGBT center is organizing a community ofrenda this Friday , the anniversary of the shooting. Joining me to talk about it is Gus Hernandez. He's senior director of communications at the LGBT center. Gus , welcome.
S2: Thank you so much for having me.
S1: Glad to have you here , Gus. You know , take me back to that day on June 12th , 2026. As you process the news about the mass shooting at pulse nightclub at 2016 , I should say in processing that shooting that happened back then , what was going through your mind? I know , I remember sitting and hearing about the news and just feeling grief over what had happened. What was in your mind?
S2: Well , like so many people , I remember feeling a deep sense of shock and heartbreak. Our pulse wasn't just any space. It was a place where LGBTQ people , especially Latino people , could come together , feel joy , culture and safety. Uh , in that moment , uh , all that was taken away. And I think what stayed with me most was thinking about those lives behind the headlines , their families , their dreams , their communities. So many young people lost to this senseless act of violence.
S1: The shooting heavily impacted Orlando's Latino and LGBTQ plus communities , as you just mentioned , but the impacts were really felt nationwide as well. Talk to me about that. Absolutely.
S2: Absolutely. Um , so I was in San Francisco when the shooting happened , and since then I've moved to San Diego. I moved here about seven years ago. Um , and so the center here in San Diego , the San Diego LGBT Community Center , has held a memorial every year since it happened to , uh , to honor the lives lost and to come together as a community. Uh , it made it painfully clear that anti LGBTQ plus hate is real , no matter where you are in this country and that that , uh , hate often intersects with , uh , racism , with xenophobia , with other forms of discrimination. Um , but it also showed us that spaces for belonging can be targets. So , uh , we've seen incredible resilience in how people come together. And that's how we hold this event every year at the center.
S1: Well , since that day , um , ten years ago , the U.S. has seen around 80 mass shootings. Uh , that that is a lot. And that's according to a database from Mother Jones. The most recent shooting on their list was right here in San Diego at the Islamic Center of San Diego , where three innocent people lost their lives that day. You know , reflecting on on that pattern of violence , how do we begin to process that?
S2: Uh , absolutely. It's a heartbreaking pattern of violence , of gun violence in this country where communities have to live with this fear. Unfortunately , it forces us to ask what kind of country we want to be and how we prioritize the safety of all people , especially those who are most vulnerable. You mentioned the Islamic Center shooting. Um , I thought that it was really incredible how the community showed up after that. With a community vigil. So many people came in support of the Islamic Center in San Diego , and we have to really , um , find that comfort that our community , uh , find safety when we're with each other and when we're supporting each other.
S1: Um , you know , again , you know , I remember so many people were in grief and frustrated with the empty platitudes they were hearing from lawmakers around gun violence and hate when the pulse nightclub shooting happened. What do you think could be done to address this culture of hate and violence on a systemic level? Absolutely.
S2: Absolutely. I think addressing hate requires more than just reacting to a tragedy. Uh , we need to invest in education , in combating misinformation , strengthening community connections , and ensuring that policies protect people from violence and discrimination. Um , it's about creating cultures of belonging where people are seen and valued. Uh , before hate can take root. And that is what we strive to do here at the LGBT center. The LGBT Community Center has been serving this community for 54 years , and we place strong value in creating a place of belonging and inclusion for everyone. Hmm.
S1: Hmm. Well , as you mentioned , the San Diego LGBT center is organizing a community of Frida this Friday to honor the lives lost at pulse nightclub. Remind us what an ofrenda is , and why you chose to honor victims in this way?
S2: Absolutely is a traditional altar that's rooted in Mexican culture. Uh , you see them a lot during events like the other Los Muertos. Uh , it's a way to honor and remember loved ones , uh , through photos , candles , and often reflecting on the lives of those that we've lost. We chose this form of commemoration because many of the victims of posts were Latina and were from our community and LGBTQ. So this type of ofrenda allows us to honor them not just in grief , but in culture. Uh , and it's important to keep memorial memorializing the victims , to keep saying their names out loud. Uh , we've lost so many of them. And as I mentioned , many of them were very young and all that potential. We never know. You know , who we lost. And this tragedy has really affected our community tremendously.
S1: And this is really an example of community togetherness in the face of violence. How does community serve as a respite from tragedy?
S2: Creating a safe space and a space where community can gather is so important. We need to show how community can turn grief into healing. And I think that's the takeaway for me is that , like finding healing in community , coming together , uh , recognizing that this incident did happen and that we're not alone. Mhm.
S1: Mhm. And how does the center talk about how the center provides a safe space to grieve and support through times of tragedy and grief? You all offer so much. Yes.
S2: Yes. The center is here for our community in times of grief , in times of joy and times of celebration and in times of sorrow. And we have so many opportunities to gather throughout the year. Mostly joyous occasions. But there are occasions like this one where we want to gather to commemorate our the lives lost. Uh , our community has been affected by so many tragedies , uh , like the Aids pandemic , for example. Um , that has affected so many folks in the LGBTQ plus community. So the San Diego LGBT Community Center is used to creating those spaces of community , of support , of belonging , because we know that together we can come out of it stronger and we become more resilient.
S1: When people come to your event on Friday , what can they expect?
S2: We are going to have a fantastic program. Uh , folks will have we'll see placards , uh , laid out , uh , commemorating each of the individuals lost. We're doing this in partnership with the San Diego Pride LGBTQ Latina Coalition , and we're going to have a blessing ceremony. We're going to name all the names of the folks who have lost , who we've lost. And there will be a special performance from the queer choir from Tijuana , the Tijuana Queer Chorale. And this is a really intentional space honoring those that we've lost , celebrating resilience , culture and solidarity. So everyone is invited and I hope people feel leaving connected , supported and reminded that they are a part of our community and we are all community when we show up for one another.
S1: And you've been attending this event for several years now , what's the atmosphere like in that space?
S2: The atmosphere is somber , it's reflective , and it's empowering. We get to connect with each other and we find support and belonging together.
S1: And it's not just , you know , on this day , this is something that you keep going year round. Talk to me about that. I mean , how this event actually builds on community and offer support for folks in that way.
S2: The San Diego LGBT Community Center has a dedicated Latino services program. Latino services program has been around for over two decades , and we're the oldest , um , Latino services program in any LGBTQ organization that has existed. And so we create programming for the Latino community specifically. And this is one of those events that we're doing in partnership with the Latino Coalition , as I mentioned. Uh , but yes , we we do programming year round that's reflective of the community of communities that we serve. Uh , we're heading right into pride season , and we're going to have lots of opportunities for more celebration. But we also have to remember , uh , the folks that we've lost due to tragedies like the pulse nightclub massacre.
S1: Well , guys , I really appreciate this. The LGBT center will be hosting their community ofrenda this Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. it will be held at the center's auditorium. You can find all of the details at KPBS. We'll also have resources for those looking for support on our website. I've been speaking with Gus Hernandez. He's senior director of communications at the LGBT center. Gus , thank you again.
S2: Thank you for having me.
S1: That's our show for today. I'm your host , Jade Hindman. Thanks for tuning in to Midday Edition. Be sure to have a great day on purpose , everyone.
