LGBTQ community centers around the country have cosigned a joint letter expressing their reactions to the recent Orlando shooting.
“Our hearts break for the LGBT community in Orlando and for the families, friends, and loved ones of those who were killed,” the letter begins. “While we are still learning many facts about the shooting, one thing is clear: this attack targeted LGBT people, particularly the many LGBT Latinx people attending Latin night at the Pulse nightclub.“
Florida centers have also cosigned the letter, such as Pride Center at Equality Park, Compass and The Center.
The letter points out the importance of the LGBT community’s voices in being heard. It also speaks out against blaming Muslims as a scapegoat.
“As with LGBT people, Muslims have experienced hate based violence, stereotyping, and bigotry. We stand with our Muslim friends and allies in calling for an end to this intolerance. We appreciate the outpouring of support from Muslim leaders and are working hard to support the many LGBT Muslims struggling to heal from this tragedy.”
In addition to denouncing the scapegoating, the letter attempts to pressure elected officials to pass laws limiting access to assault weapons.
“We must make a decision about whether we want to be a country that is content with mass shootings becoming commonplace. LGBT people will always be at risk as long as bigots have easy access to assault weapons.”
After calling the public to action, the letter ends on a hopeful note.
“We will continue to serve our communities in good times and in bad. We will continue to stand strong. We will continue to build love and acceptance. With the support of our allies and fair-minded people from around the globe, we will win full equality for LGBT people, everywhere and forever.”
See the full list of cosigners below.
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Affirmations |
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All Under One Roof |
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Alliance for GLBTQ Youth |
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ALSO Youth |
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BAGLY, Inc. (Boston Alliance of LGBTQ Youth) |
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Blue Ridge Pride Center |
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Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center |
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Canadian Centre for Gender & Sexual Diversity/Day of Pink |
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CAR- LGBTQ Center in Little Rock |
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Center Lane |
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Center on Halsted |
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Central Illinois Pride Health Center |
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David Bohnett Foundation |
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DC Center for the LGBT Community |
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Destination Tomorrow |
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Focus on Awareness and Information Resources of New York (FAIR NY) |
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Great Falls LGBTQ+ Center |
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Hudson Pride Connections Center |
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Identity, Inc. |
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In Our Own Voices |
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Inside/Out Youth Services |
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JASMYN, Inc. |
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Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center |
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Kaleidoscope Youth Center |
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Latino Pride Center, NYC |
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Lesbian Health Initiative (LHI) |
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LGBT Center at Ohio University |
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LGBT Center of Central PA |
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LGBT Center of Raleigh |
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LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland |
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LGBT Community Center of the Desert |
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LGBT Detroit |
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LGBT Network (Long Island/Queens) |
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LGBT Visitor Center |
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LGBTQ Center Long Beach |
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LGBTQ Center of Durham |
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LGBTQ Center of the Finger Lakes |
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LGBTQMUNITY Center of Montgomery County Pennsylvania |
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Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY) |
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Long Island LGBT Community Center |
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Los Angeles LGBT Center |
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Marsha Botzer-CenterLink Board Member |
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Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center |
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Metro Wellness & Community Centers |
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Michelle Kristel-CenterLink Board Member |
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Milwaukee LGBT Community Center |
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NEPA Rainbow Alliance |
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North Star LGBT Community Center in Winston-Salem, NC |
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Northwest Arkansas Center for Equality |
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Oklahomans for Equality |
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one n ten |
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Our Center |
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Our Space LGBTQ Youth Center |
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Out Boulder County |
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Out Youth |
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OutCenter of Southwest Michigan |
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Outlinc - Lincoln's LGBTQ Community Center |
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OutReach LGBT Community Center |
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OUTright Youth of Catawba Valley |
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Pacific Center for Human Growth |
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Pacific Pride Foundation |
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Paul Moore-CenterLink Board Member |
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Persad Center |
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Phillip Rush Center |
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Phoenix Center |
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Phoenix Pride LGBT Center |
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Polestar LGBT Center of Traverse City |
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Pride Center at Equality Park |
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Pride Center of Staten Island |
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Pride Center of Vermont |
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Pride Community Services Organization |
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Pridelines, Miami's LGBTQ Center |
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PRISM-Q LGBT & Allies Resource Center in Placer County, CA |
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Proud Haven |
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Q Center of Portland |
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QSpot LGBT Community Center |
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Queens LGBT Center (QCenter) |
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Queens Pride House, NYC |
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RAD Remedy |
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Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County |
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Rainbow Resource Centre |
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Rainbow Serenity |
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Resource Center |
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Rockland County Pride Center |
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ROSMY |
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Ruth Ellis Center |
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Sacramento LGBT Community Center |
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SAGE-Long Island |
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San Diego LGBT Community Center |
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San Francisco LGBT Community Center |
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SMYAL |
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SOURCE LGBT+ Center Visalia, CA |
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Spencer Pride Community Center |
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SunServe |
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The Attic Youth Center |
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The Center Orlando |
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The Center Project in Columbia, Mo |
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The Center: 7 Rivers LGBTQ Connection |
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The Center-Advancing LGBT Colorado |
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The Community Center, Inc. |
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The Diversity Center: Santa Cruz County |
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The Gay & Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada |
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The Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation (@The LGBT Center) |
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The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center |
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The LGBT Center of Hampton Roads |
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The LOFT LGBT Community Center |
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The Montrose Center |
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The Newark LGBTQ Community Center |
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The Phillip Rush Center |
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The Pride Center of New Jersey |
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The Pride Center of New Jersey |
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The Rhode Island LGBTQ Center |
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The Spahr Center |
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Triangle Community Center |
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Upper Delaware GLBT Center, Inc. |
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Utah Pride Center - Salt Lake City |
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Washington County Gay Straight Alliance, Inc. |
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Western Montana LGBT Community Center |
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William Way LGBT Community Center |
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Women in Network |
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Youth Outlook |
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Youth Outright WNC, Inc. |
