Mourners Gathered In Grand Army Plaza To Demonstrate Unity And Demand Gun Control

Community leaders at a vigil for those who lost their lives in Orlando made clear that they would not allow that loss to be in vain, calling for strict new gun control laws as well as a renewed effort to promote LGBTQ+ equality.

Public Advocate Letitia James organized a vigil at Grand Army Plaza at 7:30pm on June 14 to commemorate the lives lost in the Orlando massacre, and she was joined by community leaders and local elected officials as well as Khalisha Presley, daughter of Orlando victim Flatbush native Brenda McCool who died protecting her son, and performances from the choir of the Emanuel Baptist Church in Clinton Hill.

“To the core, you would never forget Brenda, I swear to you,” said Presley of her mother.

The names of the dead were read aloud early in the vigil. Additional speakers included Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Kim Russell of the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence, and Andy Velez of ACT UP, as well as leaders from the Muslim-American community and additional anti-gun activists.

Council Member Brad Lander described a two prong strategy, fighting for LGBTQ+ rights while also fighting for gun control. Lander emphasized the need for every person “can be who they are and love who they love and feel safe and protected not just in the law, but in our hearts.”

“We are going to push forward every day to make sure that we win gun control and fight against the epidemic of gun violence that plagues this country and only this country, and not only in mass shootings, but in that day-to-day violence that costs us people every single day, every single week,” added Lander.

James discussed the necessity of taking an intersectional approach to the issues, focusing on where and how they connect, a point that resonated through many speakers.

“We cannot continue to bring up our young people on such a diet of hateful violence, greed, all of that,” said Council Member Laurie Cumbo. Cumbo explained that, within just the last two weeks, she had been to three funerals and vigils for victims of gun violence.

Mourners gathered from far and wide for the vigil.

“What do you even say about something so horrible? It’s just so senseless and I feel like it’s preventable,” said Jenna from Queens, who added that “the speakers tonight told us to take our grief and anger to the ballot box. That’s what I’ll be doing this November.”

Jenna was joined by her friend Adriana, a lifelong resident of New York City.

“Seeing such open and overwhelming support for the LBGT community is heartwarming and indicative of how far we’ve come, but the fact that once again, we’re collectively mourning the victims of another mass shooting is shows how much is still left to do,” said Adriana.

“We got some work to do. We got some laws to pass. We got to change the lawmakers to change the laws. My only call to action today is that we work to that goal,” said Council Member Carlos Menchaca.

Vigil for #Orlando in prospect park

Posted by Fort Greene Focus on Tuesday, June 14, 2016