'We are Orlando' event tonight in Atlanta expected to gather 2,000
The "We are Orlando: Vigil and Community Gathering," will be held from 7 - 8:30 tonight at the Center for Civil and Human Rights, 100 Ivan Allen Jr Blvd NW, Atlanta. Visit the website for more details.
More than 2,000 people are slated to gather Tuesday night at Atlanta's National Center for Civil and Human Rights Center to honor the lost lives and wounded victims in the aftermath of Sunday's deadly mass shooting at an Orlando gay night club.
“We are Orlando: Vigil and Community Gathering,” hosted by the LGBT Institute, will be held at 7 p.m. at the center, located on Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd.
The event will unite 30 organizations from the LGBT, Hispanic and Muslim communities with the intention of bringing resolve for the families and friends of the nearly 50 people killed and 53 injured by gunman Omar Mateen early Sunday morning at Pulse night club, said Ryan Roemerman, executive director of the LGBT Institute, an LGBT rights advocacy group.
“More and more people wanted to come together because of the intersecting issues that have arisen from this tragedy — racism, sexism and homophobia," Roemerman said. “We’re looking at a variety of issues that affect a number of communities tonight.”
Those issues, Roemerman said, are conflicting religious views on homosexuality, the ban on gay blood donors and the bigotry that exists against gays and people of color.
Tonight's vigil will include speakers and interpreters from the Islamic Speaker's Bureau, Latino LinQ and other advocacy groups. According to the Facebook event, more than 2,100 people plan to attend tonight's vigil in spite of the rainy weather and potential thunderstorms.
“We hope putting on the event provides some healing,” Roemerman said. “The most useful action steps is calling out bigotry and hate where it occurs and when it occurs. And really just making sure you’re speaking up and speaking out, because words matters.”
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