From Tragedy, Creating Change

In the aftermath of the Pulse Nightclub massacre last spring, Hispanic Federation worked with local Latino community organizations in Central Florida to create Proyecto Somos Orlando. The project’s mission was to turn the tragic attack on the Latino and LGBT communities into an opportunity to build alliances, promote collaboration, and raise awareness of key issues facing each group.

This work requires training and information-sharing. That’s why two weeks ago, Hispanic Federation AVP for Communications and Special Events Mario Colón and Proyecto Somos Orlando Community Advocate Ricardo Negron headed to Philadelphia to participate in the 29th Annual Creating Change Conference. The conference, hosted by the National LGBTQ Task Force, brings together advocates for several days of meetings, workshops and training sessions designed to strengthen LGBTQ communities.

Ricardo participated as a panelist on Community Strength: Healing in the Aftermath of the Pulse Tragedy. The conference served as an opportunity to connect with fellow advocates and activists in the LGBTQ community and discuss ways to create change not only in policy at a local and national level, but change the narrative surrounding issues affecting the community.

“When we created Proyecto Somos Orlando we said that we were in for the long haul in Orlando,” noted HF Senior Vice President Frankie Miranda. “We know that there is a great deal of work to do around issues of capacity-building in the Latino community and especially in the Latino LGBTQ community. That’s why it’s so important that key staff like Mario and Ricardo take part in events such as Creating Change. These events build our capacity to help the community. I couldn’t be happier of their participation in this important event.”