A decade ago, 49 lives were taken and 53 were wounded at Pulse nightclub in what was then the deadliest mass shooting in the country.
The LGBTQ+ nightclub was hosting Latin Night when the shooting happened, and more than 90% of the victims were Hispanic or Latino.
Since the night of June 12, 2016, the Orlando community has become more resilient and kept its pride, says Pulse nightclub survivor Brandon Wolf. Looking back on the last decade, he notes that things aren’t perfect.
“The truth is, healing is complicated and never finished,” he shares. “… Survivors and families have unanswered questions. There are people who still need support. And we have not finished a permanent memorial space that properly honors those stolen from us.”
Wolf was inside the club the night of the attack and survived by finding refuge in a restroom as the shooting unfolded. Two of his close friends, Christopher Andrew Leinonen and Juan Guerrero, were among those killed.
Wolf is now Senior Director of Communications Strategy for Equality Florida, and he says it’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years. He feels like a wound is reopened but is also reminded to commit to honoring the 49 angels with action.
Only recently has the city has taken steps to make a permanent memorial come to fruition at the former site of the nightclub. The delays came from years of uncertainty and the founding and dissolution of the onePULSE Foundation, which was started in late 2016 by Pulse nightclub owner Barbara Poma. She, her husband Rosario Poma and business owner Michael Panaggio previously owned the property, and Barbara was the executive director of the foundation.
It had a board of directors throughout the years made up of 27 people, but critics have noted there were no survivors or victims’ family members on the board. They also noted that the foundation failed to publicly lay out the ownership transfer of the property.
For seven years onePULSE fundraised for a memorial and museum, scholarships and educational programs. In its lifetime, onePULSE raised just over $21 million. There was over a million raised for the memorial and museum, however the state grant and the $10 million Orange County tourist development tax money were not included in these numbers.
There was no public acknowledgment that the foundation was struggling to fundraise for the projects. The original project, unveiled in 2019 by the onePULSE Foundation, called for a museum and permanent memorial costing $45 million. That estimate eventually soared to $100 million.
When the foundation quietly dissolved at the end of 2023, trust was broken for many in the community, particularly among survivors and families.
Wolf says a memorial is not about trying to squeeze tragedy into a “tidy package” that makes it consumable for others, nor is it about preserving the comfort of those in positions of power and privilege.
“No memorial space will be perfect for everyone, but whatever is created should honor those stolen, defer to their families on how they are memorialized, respect survivors and cannot act as a substitute for the accountability, resources and hard conversations that real healing requires,” he explains. “It’s past time this memorial gets done.”
State Representative Anna V. Eskamani says it’s important to acknowledge the community’s frustration and mixed emotions. She knows there are members of the community that feel like there hasn’t been complete closure on a few different elements with the nightclub itself, including the concerns about code enforcement and access to exits.
Questions have also been raised about Pulse’s design and unpermitted renovations. Both the Pomas and city officials said that the building had sufficient exits and complied with all required building regulations. Orlando Fire officials insist that there were no fire code violations, despite text messages, emails and inspection reports raising issues about whether all the exits were accessible and working on the night of the shooting.
“I think it’s really important to acknowledge not just the evidence … in that regard, but just the shared experiences and the frustration from those who feel like they’re not being heard, and to make a commitment that, I hear you, I see you and I absolutely feel your pain,” Eskamani explains.
She says she shares similar concerns and there should not be any profit-making motive associated with any memorial. Eskamani encourages people to be respectful toward the memorial as well.
“I do think that part of it is… reminding people, this is a memorial,” she notes. “It’s not a celebratory environment, not a tourist destination.”
The city ultimately purchased the Pulse property last year for $2 million, as well as a neighboring property for $1 million. The city originally wanted to handle the memorial process and tried to purchase the property from the Pomas, but they ultimately declined in order to start the onePULSE Foundation.
Funding for the permanent memorial came in September 2025 from the City of Orlando with a $7 million contribution and a $5 million contribution from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. The $12-13 million project is fully funded by the city, county, state and private donors.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer says that when the foundation failed, a number of the families came to the city and asked them to take it over.
“We knew it was our responsibility to make sure that a memorial honoring the 49 and everybody else that was affected by the Pulse tragedy was established, and was established on the site, because most people consider that sacred ground,” Dyer shares. “The onePULSE folks at some point had come up with an idea of locating the memorial on another location, and we knew we needed to make sure it happened on the Pulse nightclub site … we wanted to make sure we did the process in the most transparent way we could.”
Dyer says ultimately the memorial should symbolize peace, remembrance, hope and healing.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings says the county and the city have been working together to commit to the permanent memorial.
“We’re happy to do so, to support the City of Orlando in that effort and to support the families in this effort,” Demings shares. “This is something that we don’t ever want to be forgotten. We don’t ever want to relive that by being proactive.”
He notes that those in leadership positions need to do what they can to prevent another major loss to the community.
For the memorial, 30% design plans were revealed in February. The next month, a site clearing including demolition of the nightclub itself and the adjacent property took place. While completion is scheduled for Sept. 2027, community members feel that the survivors and the families should have more of a say in the permanent memorial, not the city.
Watermark Out News readers were surveyed about the 10-year mark of Pulse and 54% said their main concern for the memorial is political influence. For 47% of readers, their concern is transparency. As for the direction of the memorial, 30% of readers feel happy with the role the City of Orlando is taking.
Many readers said they had mixed feelings about the memorial and feel that there is a lack of accountability.
State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith understands the community’s “valid and sincere concerns” about the memorial, but he thinks local government was the best option to oversee the memorial and get it done correctly.
“The Pomas… they tried it their way, they failed,” Smith shares. “Time and money were squandered, and those impacted by the tragedy were subjected to additional pain and suffering. It’s been a long time coming and honestly, I sincerely hope that this memorial gives survivors, families and the community some peace.”
Most recently, the Pulse advisory committee revealed new images on May 14 at the 60% design meeting:
In the memorial’s private gathering area, there will be a location of capsules assigned to each of the 49 lives lost in 2016. The renderings show a reflection pool with a rainbow ripple design in the center, alongside the “angel ellipse.” On the north side, a water wall will also have the names of each victim along with the quote “For all those who just wanted to dance” in English and Spanish.
The memorial will also include a 3,500 square-foot visitors’ pavilion and will have items connected with the nightclub on display. New details were shared about what items would be on display, like the front door, posters, wall patterns from VIP and the chandelier from the Moulin Rouge.
The items were carefully chosen pieces of the club that were removed prior to demolition, the designers said. They noted that it might be triggering for some to see, but this section will be secluded from the rest of the pavilion. The original Pulse sign will also be placed at the pavilion, which they said they hope to reilluminate it at night.
The City of Orlando invited Watermark Out News and other media outlets to a confidential location June 2 where the artifacts from the nightclub are stored in a controlled condition warehouse. Also stored in the warehouse are items the city received and preserved immediately after the tragedy, including previous editions of Watermark Out News. Tables were laid out with news articles, international condolence cards, a large Pulse ribbon and other mementos:
During the public comment section of the meeting when plans were originally discussed, there were people who spoke who were critical of the design and the long process that led to the memorial. Some were particularly critical of the visitor’s pavilion, saying it is “extremely problematic and deeply inappropriate.”
However, there was one woman who said she was thankful that there will be a memorial to honor those lost and affected by Pulse.
A number of LGBTQ+-focused organizations dedicated to honoring those lost and impacted by Pulse were launched in the aftermath of the tragedy, including the Contigo Fund, the nation’s first and only Queer Latinx foundation. The One Orlando Alliance was also organized in the aftermath, as was the Dru Project. It is set to sunset after Pulse’s 10-year mark.
The advocacy organization and nonprofit was founded by Board President Sara Grossman and others, including Wolf, in honor of Leinonen. Grossman attended the University of Central Florida with Leinonen, where they met the first week of classes. She says it’s a privilege to honor Leinonen and the other angels through The Dru Project.
Although the nonprofit will be signing off this year, Grossman says the message and organization lives on with the relationships they have built. The group is hosting its final fundraiser June 13 at Anthem Orlando.
“Everything we’ve done for 10 years, every scholarship, every celebration, every life we’ve touched, is still out there moving through the world,” Grossman shares. “The Final Transmission is our way of saying: we sent everything we had.”
The nonprofit distributed over $250,000 in scholarships, an accomplishment Grossman says will never really settle in.
The Dru Project raised funds for a permanent memorial mural at UCF, which will be on the walls of Leinonen’s alma mater for many years to come. She thinks it’s appropriate to let the city do its job with the memorial.
“I am hopeful that the permanent memorial will honor those we have lost in a meaningful way, preserve their stories, and be able to provide a physical space for people to honor and grieve,” Grossman says. “I look forward to seeing it when it is finally done.”
Wolf thinks creating a peaceful memorial space is a reclamation of power. He says honoring those who were “stolen from us” is done through action and 10 years later that is more important than ever.
“Ten years ago, a man filled with hate and armed with a weapon of war invaded our space and tried to steal our joy — our power — from us,” Wolf shares. “Instead, we are declaring that our power cannot be snuffed out.
“Young people today deserve to hear that message loudly and clearly,” he continued. “I hope that the memorial space and the stories we continue to tell empower the next generation of queer young people to live more boldly and unapologetically than ever.”
Central Florida, Tampa Bay and Sarasota will reflect on the 10-year mark of Pulse with commemorations before, on and after June 12. For more information about the permanent memorial and city events in Orlando, visit PulseOrlando.org.
Sign up for the Watermark Out News eNewsletter and follow us for more:
BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Threads | YouTube
