Air Date June 10, 2021
Title: Pride Month in Orange County – Honoring the Pulse Milestone
This episode of Emily Tells All recognizes PRIDE MONTH in Central Florida by exploring the victories and challenges of the LGBTQ+ community and discovering the ways we are honoring the Pulse Milestone.
Zebra Coalition, Executive Director – Heather Wilkie
One Orlando Alliance, Executive Director – Josh Bell
One Pulse Foundation, Community Leader – Eric Rollings
Orange County Regional History Center, Curator – Jeremy Hileman
An Ode to Pulse and Understanding Pride Month
Each June, a rainbow sweeps across the nation. Pride month is a time for honoring diversity and celebrating significant notches in time for the LGBTQ+ community.
But not all historical events were triumphs worth smiling over. For instance, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. A tragic and heartbreaking event sent shockwaves through the gay community.
Five years later, those who were affected are still not forgotten. If anything, the event sparked a call to build an even stronger community.
We sat down at the Orange County Regional History Center at the “Community” exhibit with Jeremy Hileman, one of the Pulse exhibit organizers.
Meet Jeremy Hileman
Jeremy Hileman is one of the people at the history museum who helped put together the exhibit focused on Pulse and the community that grew afterward. He states, “The idea is to kind of showcase what community means to different people.”
He continues to elaborate that the exhibit is about much more than that, though.
It’s about following the story of the Pulse nightclub from its origins, the community that centered around the club, how the Pulse community changed post-tragedy, and how that change spread across the country to affect people from all walks of life in their own community.
The wave felt went far beyond Orlando.
The Story Behind the Name – Community
The word “community” in itself describes a group of individuals, but it also holds a connection to a feeling. It’s quite an emotional word that can be powerful in the right context. We asked Jeremy why the exhibit was named Community, and he gave a thoughtful response.
“People can find themselves in a lot of different ways, connect to the story in many perspectives, and [feel] how the LGBTQ+ community has grown in the love shown after the tragic events,” proclaims Jeremy.
It only felt natural to name the exhibit “Community” given that we are all affected by a tragedy, even if some may not subscribe to the same beliefs as those involved. Communities definitely grow out of heartache and learn to lean on each other in support.
The Background of the Community Exhibit
Each year since 2017, the History Center has held a Pulse remembrance exhibition throughout the summer. Every year brings a new flavor to the exhibit, highlighting artifacts from the One Orlando collection.
“This is the History Center’s items related to the Pulse nightclub and the subsequent response. So, each year we try to do something that will bring a new story or tell something new for people,” exclaims Jeremy.
The Importance of Pulse and Pride Month
“In one way, we’re honoring the victims and the people affected directly by the tragedy,” says Jeremy with a heartfelt expression. The Pulse exhibit offers people the opportunity to come and learn, and it also preserves the history of the event for everyone who lives in the area.
Pride month, in tandem with the Community exhibit, is important because it brings awareness and light to something that might be forgotten otherwise. It’s about connecting with people outside your own community, honoring the community you belong to, and so much more.
We encourage you to check out the History Center exhibit in Orlando every May-August and learn a new story of courage or heartbreak for yourself.
