Washington, D.C. — Almost one year after the hate-motivated, devastating shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, the Pride Fund to End Gun Violence and the Center for American Progress Action Fund will be hosting a discussion of the current political and advocacy landscape. A diverse group of panelists will discuss the intersections of LGBTQ and gun violence prevention advocacy over the past year; the recent rise of hate violence in the United States; the impact on affected communities; and how weak gun laws contribute to lethal, hate-motivated violence. This event will feature a keynote by Jeff Rodriguez, a survivor of the Pulse shooting.
There are many ways to describe what happened at the Pulse nightclub in the early morning hours of June 12, 2016. It was the largest mass shooting in U.S. history—taking 49 lives and injuring 53 others. It was a hate-motivated attack on the LGBTQ and Latinx communities. It was an act of domestic terrorism. As the nation reeled from this devastating attack, voices from the LGBTQ and gun violence prevention advocacy communities came together first to grieve and then to stand together and fight back against hate violence, anti-LGBTQ animus, and the gaps in the nation’s gun laws that allow dangerous people to have easy access to weapons of war.
This event is open to press. Please click here to RSVP.
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
12:00 p.m. ET – 2:00 p.m. ET
WHO:
Opening remarks:
Laura Durso, vice president, LGBT research and communications project, Center for American Progress Action Fund
Jason Lindsay, founder and executive director, Pride Fund to End Gun Violence
Keynote:
Jeff Xavier, survivor of the Pulse shooting
In discussion:
Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), 5th District
Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), 10th District
Moderator:
Jason Lindsay, founder and executive director, Pride Fund to End Gun Violence
Featured panelists:
Joanna Cifredo, transgender activist
State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-FL), 49th District
Winnie Stachelberg, executive vice president, external affairs, Center for American Progress Action Fund
Siclaly “Laly” Santiago-Leon, cousin of Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, who was killed in Pulse shooting; board member, Pride Fund to End Gun Violence
Moderator:
Stasha Rhodes, director of advocacy, guns and crime policy, Center for American Progress Action Fund
WHERE:
Center for American Progress Action Fund
1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
RSVP:
Please click here to RSVP.
Space is extremely limited. RSVP required.
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and not guaranteed.
For more information, contact Tanya Arditi at [email protected] or 202.471.6258.
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The Center for American Progress Action Fund is the sister advocacy organization of the Center for American Progress. The Action Fund transforms progressive ideas into policy through rapid response communications, legislative action, grassroots organizing and advocacy, and partnerships with other progressive leaders throughout the country and the world. The Action Fund is also the home of the Progress Report.
The Pride Fund to End Gun Violence is a Political Action Committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect pro-LGBT candidates at the national level who support sensible gun reforms. To learn more, visit www.pridefund.org. Like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pridefund and follow on Twitter @Pride_Fund.