>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, REMEMBERING THE PULSE TRAGEDY FIVE YEARS ON.

WE'LL TALK TO THOSE WHO WERE THERE ON THE NIGHT OF JUNE 12TH, 2016.

AND AS CENTRAL FLORIDA REMEMBERS THE DEADLIEST ATTACK AGAINST LGBTQ+ PEOPLE IN AMERICAN HISTORY, WE'LL LOOK AT THE ISSUES AND POLITICS FACING THE COMMUNITY TODAY.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT.

THIS WEEK, WE ARE MARKING FIVE YEARS SINCE OUR COMMUNITY WAS FACED WITH AN UNTHINKABLE TRAGEDY AT THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB.

TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM THOSE WHO SURVIVED THE EVENTS OF THAT NIGHT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE PRESSING ISSUES THAT CONTINUE TO FACE CENTRAL FLORIDA'S LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.

MY COLLEAGUE, STEVE MORT, IN THE STUDIO HERE WITH ME AS WELL.

AND STEVE, WE'LL START WITH YOU TONIGHT.

>>THANK YOU NANCY.

A LOT OF IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE TONIGHT, SO LET'S START WITH THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO WERE AT PULSE ON JUNE 12TH, 2016.

I WANTED TO START BY TALKING TO BRANDON WOLF, A SURVIVOR I INTERVIEWED BACK ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRAGEDY.

I BEGAN OUR MOST RECENT CONVERSATION BY ASKING HIM HOW HE'S FEELING ALL THESE YEARS LATER.

>>IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE LIVING IN AN ALTERNATE REALITY, THAT IT WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY YESTERDAY AND ALSO A LIFETIME AGO.

I'M REFLECTING A LOT ON THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE AS AN LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

I'M REFLECTING A LOT ON HOW ORLANDO IS DIFFERENT, HOW WE'VE REALLY STITCHED THE PIECES TOGETHER TO BECOME COHESIVE AND CARING AND COMPASSIONATE TO SHOW THE WORLD HOW IT'S DONE TO RECOVER FROM TRAGEDY AND I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT HOW PAINFUL THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAVE BEEN.

NOT JUST FOR ME, BIRTHDAY PARTIES WITHOUT MY BEST FRIENDS AND DINNERS WITHOUT THEIR SMILES AND LAUGHS, BUT ALSO FOR EVERYONE WHO WAS IMPACTED.

EVERYONE WHO HAD TO BURY THEIR CHILD.

EVERYONE WHO HAS TO GO TO THERAPY STILL TODAY, THOSE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY INJURED, WHO ARE DISABLED BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED.

FIRST RESPONDERS WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOREVER.

I'M THINKING A LOT ABOUT JUST HOW CHALLENGING THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAVE BEEN FOR ALL OF US AND HOW MUCH WORK WE HAVE LEFT TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.

>>YOU AND I TALKED ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE SHOOTING AND I'M WONDERING HOW YOU AND OTHER SURVIVORS YOU KNOW ARE DOING EMOTIONALLY?

ARE YOU STILL STRUGGLING WITH THOSE EVENTS OF FIVE YEARS AGO?

OBVIOUSLY, YOU WERE THEN, DOES IT STILL LIVE WITH YOU NOW THOUGH IN YOUR MEMORY AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?

>>YEAH, IT WILL ALWAYS LIVE WITH ME.

THERE IS NO WAY FOR A HUMAN BEING, IN MY OPINION, TO PROCESS WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT.

IT'S A HORRIFIC TRAGEDY, SOMETHING THAT CHANGES YOU DEEPLY, INTERNALLY, FOREVER.

I HAVE A REALLY GOOD THERAPIST, SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED, BUT I THINK THE THING THAT HAS SAVED MY LIFE OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WHETHER IT'S IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF PULSE OR THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED, OR EVEN THE YEARS THAT HAVE FOLLOWED WHERE I DIDN'T KNOW IF I COULD GO ON ANYMORE, IS COMMUNITY.

TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S THE COMMUNITY OF SURVIVORS, IT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT'S DIRECTLY IMPACTED AND IT'S THE CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY IN GENERAL THAT HAS TIME AND TIME AGAIN LIFTED ME UP, SUPPORTED ME, HAD MY BACK AND THAT IS THE THING THAT KEEPS ME GOING.

IT'S HOW I'M ABLE TO PROCESS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE EMOTIONS I'M EXPERIENCING.

>>AND OF COURSE, MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN SUCH A BIG ISSUE OVER THE LAST YEAR, OF COURSE, IN THE PANDEMIC, SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAD MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, IT WAS OFTEN EXACERBATED.

I MEAN, DID YOU FEEL THAT?

I MEAN, WAS THIS A STRESSFUL YEAR FOR YOU?

>>IT WAS, YEAH, INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL.

AND LISTEN, IT'S BEEN STRESSFUL FOR EVERYONE THE LAST YEAR.

A LOT OF FEELINGS OF ISOLATION, OF GRIEF, OF LOSS.

DON'T FORGET THAT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WE LOST OVER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THAT LEVEL OF LOSS IS, AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR HUMANS TO PROCESS, SO I THINK EVERYBODY IS FEELING THAT PAIN.

BUT FOR THOSE WHO WERE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY PULSE, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY FELT EVEN MORE ACUTELY.

AND I KNOW FOR ME IN A VERY PERSONAL WAY, I DIDN'T HAVE THE OUTLET THAT I USED TO HAVE.

I DIDN'T HAVE MY BEST FRIENDS TO CALL UP OR FACETIME OR TEXT WHEN I WAS FEELING DOWN.

IN MANY WAYS, I WAS MORE ISOLATED THAN I'VE EVER BEEN IN MY LIFE.

EVEN MORE ISOLATED THAN I WAS ON JUNE 12TH, 2016, BECAUSE BEING IN YOUR APARTMENT ALONE WITHOUT THE OUTLET OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE TO REACH OUT TO IS VERY CHALLENGING.

>>AND JUST FINALLY, WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING ON THE ANNIVERSARY DAY?

HOW WILL YOU BE REMEMBERING THOSE EVENTS AND THINKING ABOUT THOSE THAT WE LOST?

>>WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING.

I ALWAYS RESERVE THE MORNING OF JUNE 12TH TO SPEND TIME IN QUIET SOLITUDE.

I EAT ICE CREAM FOR BREAKFAST.

SOMETIMES, I HAVE A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE, DEPENDING ON HOW I'M FEELING, AND I SPEND TIME LOOKING AT OLD PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF MY BEST FRIENDS.

I SPEND TIME WITH THEM.

IN THE EVENING, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HOSTING A PANEL WITH SOME PARTNERS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, EVERY TOWN FOR GUN SAFETY, THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN, AS WELL AS LOCAL PARTNERS LIKE QLATINX, ONEPULSE AND THE CENTER.

WE'RE GOING TO HOST A PANEL DISCUSSION ON WHAT WE'VE DONE AND WHERE WE GO.

I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD.

I'M HELPING TO COORDINATE A NATIONAL MOMENT OF SILENCE AT 6:00 PM WHERE EVERYONE IN THE COUNTRY WILL BE INVITED TO SHARE IN 49 SECONDS OF SILENCE AND THEN I WILL BE AT PULSE AT 7:00 PM FOR THE REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY.

>>WELL, BRANDON AND I ALSO DISCUSSED IN SOME DEPTH, THE POLITICAL ISSUES SURROUNDING THE LGBT COMMUNITY AND YOU CAN FIND OUR FULL INTERVIEW ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT AND WE'LL BE ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE POLITICAL ISSUES LATER IN THE PROGRAM.

WELL, NANCY AND HER COLLEAGUES AT WFTV ARE ALSO MARKING FIVE YEARS SINCE THE PULSE TRAGEDY WITH THEIR OWN REMEMBRANCE PROGRAM.

AND NANCY, YOU RECENTLY SPOKE WITH ANOTHER SURVIVOR.

>>I DID.

I SPOKE RECENTLY WITH NEEMA BAHRAMI.

HE WAS THE EVENT MANAGER THAT NIGHT OF THE SHOOTING AT PULSE AND WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER SINCE THE TRAGEDY.

I STARTED THIS CONVERSATION BY ASKING HIM ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT MADE THAT NIGHT SPECIAL.

IT WAS NOCHE LATINA, LATIN NIGHT AT PULSE AND HE WAS HOSTING THAT DAY.

>>I REMEMBER EVERYBODY DANCING.

I REMEMBER I HOSTED THE SHOW AND I LITERALLY SAT ON THE SPEAKER DURING THE SHOW, LOOKING AT ALL THE FACES.

EVERYBODY'S SMILING.

EVERYBODY HAVING A GOOD TIME.

JUST TO SEE THAT MOMENT IS THE MOST REWARDING TO ANY TYPE OF PROMOTER ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT FROM YOUR COMMUNITY.

YOU WANT THEM HAPPY.

YOU WANT THEM SMILING.

YOU WANT THEM HAVING A GOOD TIME.

>>ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS ALWAYS STRUCK ME ABOUT YOU IN ALL THESE YEARS I'VE KNOWN YOU IS THAT YOU DIDN'T LEAVE.

YOU DIDN'T RUN.

YOU HELPED.

>>I DID.

I HAD TO ACCEPT THAT BECAUSE IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO SAY THAT I HELPED BECAUSE PEOPLE ALWAYS SAID, "OH, YOU'RE A HERO.

YOU HELPED CARRY PEOPLE.

YOU STAYED WITH THE POLICE.

YOU HELPED THEM GUIDE THEM TO SEE WHERE THE SURVIVORS WERE."

TO ME, IT WAS JUST ME DOING ME.

YOU CAN'T TURN YOUR BACK ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YOU CAN'T WALK AWAY FROM PEOPLE BEING IN PAIN.

>>YOU ARE STILL HERE IN THE HEART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

PULSE LIVES BECAUSE OF YOU.

>>WE KEPT SAYING WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ORLANDO DANCING.

A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER, EVERYBODY KEPT ASKING ME, "WELL, YOU KEEP SAYING YOU WANT TO KEEP ORLANDO DANCING, BUT THEN WHY'D YOU STOP DOING LATIN NIGHT?

WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BRING IT BACK?"

YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH.

SO I SAID, "YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU'RE RIGHT," AND A VENUE GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IT BACK.

IT IS COME AND I WAS NERVOUS DOING IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE WOULD SUPPORT IT, COME BACK TO IT AND RESPECT ME FOR IT AGAIN.

THAT WAS MY BIGGEST THING.

I WAS WORRIED THAT IF I DID DO THIS, WOULD PEOPLE SAY, "HOW DARE YOU?"

BUT IT WAS THE OPPOSITE.

>>HOW HAVE YOU CHANGED?

>>BEFORE, IT WAS A JOB AND NOW IT'S A LOVING CAREER.

I LOVED WHAT I DID BEFORE, BUT NOW I REALLY LOVE WHAT I DO NOW.

IT'S JUST MORE REWARDING FOR ME, NOT JUST SEEING THE PEOPLE HAPPY, BUT OUR COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER MORE.

>>FIVE YEARS LATER, DO YOU STILL THINK ABOUT IT EVERY DAY?

DO YOU STILL GRIEVE?

>>I DO.

I DO THINK ABOUT IT EVERY DAY.

I DO.

IT'S A PART OF YOU.

IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE SHOOKEN OFF, IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE DETACHED FROM YOU, IT'S A PART OF YOU AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T KEEP IT A PART OF YOU, THEN THE 49 DO NOT STAY ALIVE IN YOUR MIND AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

WE HAVE TO KEEP THEIR MEMORY ALIVE.

AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THIS...

IF I DON'T THINK ABOUT IT DAILY, THEN I'M NOT GOING TO WORK HARDER FOR THE CHARITIES LIKE ONEPULSE FOUNDATION TO HELP THAT MEMORIAL, TO HELP THAT MUSEUM TO BE BUILT.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO STILL.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD THAT WE NEED TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD AND WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT MEMORY ALIVE AND I THINK ABOUT IT EVERY DAY.

>>YOU CAN FIND WFTV'S PULSE SPECIAL, FIVE YEARS OF HEALING AND HOPE AT WFTV.COM.

AND OF COURSE, HEARING ALL THOSE STORIES BRINGS BACK SO MANY MEMORIES OF THAT NIGHT AND THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED HERE IN ORLANDO AND THE EXPERIENCE OF COVERING IT AS A REPORTER.

YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN A LOT ABOUT THAT, STEVE.

I WAS REALLY STRUCK BY HEARING BRANDON TALK ABOUT THERAPY AND HOW MUCH IT'S HELPED HIM AND I WOULDN'T EVEN DARE TALK ABOUT THIS CLOSER TO THE TRAGEDY.

NOW THAT WE'RE FIVE YEARS OUT, I'M MORE COMFORTABLE BECAUSE I DIDN'T LOSE ANYONE AT PULSE, BUT I HAD TO GO TO THERAPY AND DID SPEAK TO SOMEONE ABOUT WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING.

IT WAS REALLY POWERFUL BECAUSE I REMEMBER HER TELLING ME, AFTER I WAS FINISHED SHARING ALL MY EMOTIONS, SHE SAID, "NANCY, YOU WEREN'T THERE."

IT TOOK ME A MINUTE TO SORT OF REGISTER THAT BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY STORIES, SO MANY INTERVIEWS, SO MANY EXPERIENCES IN THE DAYS AFTER PULSE, I ABSORBED IT TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS GRIEVING AS IF I HAD BEEN THERE OR HAD LOST SOMEONE.

>>IT'S SO DIFFICULT.

AS REPORTERS, I THINK WE ARE INSTINCTIVELY INCLINED TO NOT TALK ABOUT OUR OWN EXPERIENCES IN COVERING THINGS.

>>RIGHT.

YEAH.

>>I HAVE COVERED TRAGEDY AND YOU'VE COVERED TRAGEDY.

I'VE COVERED MASS SHOOTINGS, PARKLAND, AURORA.

I'VE COVERED SOME MAJOR STORIES THAT WERE EXTREMELY UPSETTING ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.

THE DEATH AND FUNERAL OF PRINCESS DIANA, FOR EXAMPLE, AND WATCHING THE TWO PRINCES ON THAT DAY WHEN THEIR MOTHER WAS BURIED.

BUT THIS ONE WAS, IT FELT DIFFERENT AND THE REASON IT FELT DIFFERENT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS MY COMMUNITY.

IT WAS OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S A PLACE WHERE...

I HAD BEEN TO PULSE.

I HAD DROVE BY PULSE ALMOST EVERY DAY.

I THINK WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY, WE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT IN THE MOMENT.

WE'RE DOING OUR JOBS, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE WERE MANY REPORTERS IN TOWN WHO COVERED THAT WHO WOULD SAY THAT THEY DIDN'T, AT SOME POINT IN THAT WEEK, SHED A TEAR.

IT WASN'T JUST THERE.

I MEAN, I WAS TASKED WITH TALKING TO FAMILY MEMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO DIED.

IT'S A REALLY TOUGH ONE AND IT'S A DIFFICULT JOB FOR EVERYBODY.

>>IT CERTAINLY IS.

YEAH.

IT CERTAINLY BECAME VERY PERSONAL FOR ALL OF US AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERY JOURNALIST... AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THE FIRST RESPONDERS, THE DOCTORS.

I MEAN, EVERYONE THERE WHO HAD CONNECTION WITH IT IN SOME WAY.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO CARRY THAT FOR A LONG TIME, THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

>>FOR SURE.

NO DOUBT.

>>NEXT TONIGHT, THE TRICKY TASK OF MEMORIALIZING THE PULSE TRAGEDY, STEVE AND I HAVE BOTH VISITED A NEW EXHIBIT AT THE ORANGE COUNTY REGIONAL HISTORY CENTER, WHICH OPENED RECENTLY TO MARK THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF PULSE.

HERE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HISTORY CENTER, PAMELA SCHWARTZ.

>>IT STARTS WITH THE IDEA OF COMMUNITY PRIOR TO THE SHOOTING.

WHAT DID THAT LOOK LIKE?

WHAT WAS THE PULSE COMMUNITY?

WHO WENT THERE?

WHY DID THEY GO THERE?

WE INTERPRET THAT STORY AND WE MOVE INTO THE ACTUAL EVENING OF THE SHOOTING.

WE HAVE ONE AREA SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO THAT.

AS WE MOVE PAST THAT AREA, WE GO INTO THE DIFFERENT MEMORIALS AND ALL OF THE THINGS, THE GLOBAL SUPPORT, SO WE LOOK AT HOW THIS SORT OF SMALL COMMUNITY THAT WAS INTERIOR TO THE NIGHTCLUB GREW AND MORPHED BOTH GEOGRAPHICALLY, DEMOGRAPHICALLY AFTER THE SHOOTING HAPPENED.

IT FOCUSES ON THIS IDEA OF COMMUNITY.

>>IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU'RE DELVING INTO THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY BEFORE PULSE.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO LOOK AT THE PRE PULSE TIME?

>>WELL, I THINK AS A MUSEUM, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE HISTORY OF THINGS AND HOW THEY BECOME.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION FROM THE PEOPLE WHO WENT TO PULSE, TRYING TO REMINISCE AND TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT PULSE WAS.

TO THE PEOPLE WHO WENT THERE, IT WAS A HOME, IT WAS A FAMILY.

WE JUST REALLY WANTED TO ILLUSTRATE THAT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND IT BEFORE.

>>YOU'VE BROADENED THIS OUT A LITTLE BIT TO LOOK AT HOW PULSE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES BEYOND CENTRAL FLORIDA.

AND I WONDER WHY YOU DECIDED TO DO THAT?

IN TERMS OF PUTTING IT TOGETHER, WHAT DID YOU FIND IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT THIS HAD ON A NATIONAL AND A GLOBAL SCALE?

>>WE CHOSE THAT BECAUSE WE'RE HANDS ON WITH THESE OVER 12,000 OBJECTS ALL OF THE TIME AND WE WERE JUST SEEING SO MUCH FROM EVERYWHERE.

WE WERE LIKE, "OH MY GOSH, THERE'S A PICTURE OF THE EIFFEL TOWER LIT UP AS A RAINBOW IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY HERE," AND IT STRETCHES RIGHT.

OR HERE'S A FLAG FROM BRAZIL THAT SOMEBODY CHOSE TO LEAVE.

AND WE WERE JUST SEEING THESE AND WE STARTED REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITIES GLOBALLY TO TRY TO HEAR THEIR STORIES.

THE GOAL IS SO THAT PEOPLE SEE THAT WE ARE MAYBE MORE UNITED GLOBALLY THAN SOMETIMES WE CONSIDER OURSELVES TO BE.

>>I WONDER HOW TRICKY IT IS TO PUT TOGETHER AN EXHIBITION WHEN THAT HISTORY IS REALLY STILL SO RECENT.

>>IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY CHALLENGING.

HISTORICALLY MUSEUMS, YOU'D HAVE SOMEBODY BRING A BOX AFTER THEIR GRANDMOTHER PASSES AWAY AND YOU LOOK AT THESE THINGS AND THEY'RE SORT OF GENERATIONS REMOVED.

AND HERE, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND COLLECTING FROM THE PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED IT.

IT'S HARDER TO LET GO OF SOMETHING THAT BELONGS TO YOU, THEN MAYBE BELONGED TO AN ANCESTOR SOMETIMES.

WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY AS BEST WE CAN TO TALK WITH THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS WHO WERE KILLED, WITH THE SURVIVORS OR FIRST RESPONDERS TO SORT OF GAUGE WHERE PEOPLE ARE.

WE'VE CHANGED OUR VOCABULARY BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY'S VOCABULARY AND THE WAY WE SAY THINGS ABOUT THIS EVENT HAVE CHANGED SINCE DAY ONE.

WE TAKE EVERY WORD VERY CAREFULLY INTO ACCOUNT.

WE CONSIDER WHAT TYPES OF ITEMS WE SHOW AND HOW WE INTERPRET THEM SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT OUR MOST IMPACTED COMMUNITIES SO THAT THEY CAN STILL ACCESS THIS SPACE AND FIND IT TO BE HEALING, AS OPPOSED TO HARMING.

>>ON THE FLIP SIDE, WE'RE A FAST GROWING COMMUNITY.

THE COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED QUITE A LOT IN THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS, AS WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.

THERE MAY BE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HERE WHO WERE NOT HERE THEN.

>>THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WE CHOSE TO BE A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH WITH THIS SECTION.

AT THE FIRST YEAR REMEMBRANCE, WE HAD ONE PARAGRAPH THAT HONESTLY WAS DESCRIPTIVE ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND UNDERSTAND, "OH, THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT IN THIS EXHIBITION SPACE."

EVEN BY THE TWO YEAR, WE HAD PEOPLE COMING IN AND SAYING, "WELL, WHAT'S THIS EXHIBITION ABOUT?"

THERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT COME TO THIS EXHIBIT WHO ACTUALLY WEREN'T BORN AT THE TIME.

AND WE DO HAVE PARENTS COME AND TRY TO EXPLAIN TO THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN, 5, 6, 7 YEARS OLD, WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.

WE TAKE ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION NOW AND FOR MANY YEARS INTO THE FUTURE OF HOW WILL THIS EVENT BE INTERPRETED FOR PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T LIVING AT THIS TIME.

WE DID GO MORE IN DEPTH THIS YEAR AND IT REALLY IS PART OF THE PURPOSE IS BECAUSE IT'S NOT SO CLOSE TO EVERYONE, THOUGH IT FEELS VERY CLOSE TO MANY OF US.

>>WELL, THIS YEAR'S REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES FIVE YEARS AGO AT PULSE COMES AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A SPIKE IN VIOLENCE TARGETING THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN SAYS THIS YEAR IS ON TRACK TO BE THE DEADLIEST EVER FOR TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING PEOPLE.

THAT AFTER A RECORD YEAR FOR VIOLENT FATALITIES IN 2020.

WELL, I SPOKE WITH ORLANDO'S POLICE CHIEF, ORLANDO ROLÓN, THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS SECURITY FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

>>OUR COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY MINDFUL THAT WE SHOULD ADJUST AND RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY QUICKLY, MEANING WE'RE ALWAYS CONSTANTLY MONITORING THE CHANGES AROUND US.

FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, TO BE HONEST, WE SORT OF LED THE WAY.

LGBTQ+ EFFORTS WERE ALREADY IN PLAY HERE AT THE ORLANDO POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN VERY PROACTIVE IN CREATING ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND THEN EXTENDING BEYOND OPD TO OTHER AGENCIES WHERE THE LGBTQ+ MEMBERS OF THE AGENCY HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER WITH OTHERS AND THOSE KEY COMMUNITY COMPONENTS THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.

>>YEAH.

THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN SAYS THERE IS "A WAVE OF ANTI-TRANS VIOLENCE" IN AMERICA RIGHT NOW AND THAT 2020 WAS THE DEADLIEST YEAR ON RECORD FOR TRANS AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING PEOPLE.

WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THAT AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY?

>>WHENEVER AN ISSUE BEGINS TO SURFACE OR BEGINS TO GET ATTENTION, WE DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY ON TOP OF THOSE THINGS, BUT THE KEY IS TO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE KEY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE RENDERING THE ASSISTANCE, THAT ARE RENDERING THE SUPPORT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS MOST AFFECTED.

>>BUT THERE HAVE BEEN ACCUSATIONS FOR YEARS OF POLICE HARASSMENT TARGETING THE LGBT COMMUNITY.

HOW DO YOU BUILD UP TRUST IN THAT COMMUNITY WHEN THERE IS THAT HISTORY?

>>WELL, IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT IN SOME COMMUNITY THAT TENDS TO BE THE CASE, BUT I THINK WHAT WE MUST BE VERY MINDFUL OF IS THAT WE MUST RELY ON THE DATA THAT PROVES OR DISPROVES THOSE CONCERNS.

HERE IN ORLANDO, WHAT WE TRY TO DO BEST IS TRY TO EDUCATE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO GET THE SPECIFICS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

WHENEVER WE SEE SOMETHING THAT IS CONTRADICTED TO WHAT THE STATISTICS SHOW, WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ALSO GETS ADDRESSED AND WE'RE ALSO VERY PROUD THAT A KEY MEMBER OF OUR STAFF, WHAT WE CONSIDER THE NUMBER TWO POSITION, DEPUTY CHIEF, DEPUTY CHIEF JAMES YOUNG, IS A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND HE OFTEN IS ENGAGING WITH THOSE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS WITH WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AND HAS ACTUALLY SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN REASSURE ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT THEIR SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

>>LET'S LOOK AT CHANGES IN POLICING WHEN IT COMES TO MASS CASUALTY EVENTS, LIKE THE TRAGEDY AT PULSE.

HAS THERE BEEN AN EVOLUTION IN THE WAY THAT POLICE RESPOND TO MASS SHOOTINGS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS?

>>IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.

IF YOU NOTICE, ANYTIME THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, WHETHER IT'S HERE NATIONALLY OR INTERNATIONALLY, FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSION, IT IS A MUST THAT WE GET OUR HANDS ON THE AFTER ACTION REPORTS.

WE HAVE MODIFIED THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS.

WE MODIFIED THE WAY WE DID BUSINESS PRIOR TO THE PULSE INCIDENT.

AGENCIES HAVE MODIFIED THE WAY THEY DO BUSINESS AFTER THE PULSE INCIDENT.

AND WE AND OTHER AGENCIES HAVE MODIFIED THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS AFTER THE INCIDENT IN VEGAS.

THAT HAS TRANSLATED TO BETTER EQUIPMENT, BETTER TRAINING, BETTER TACTICS.

AND ALSO A KEY COMPONENT THAT WE DON'T TALK ENOUGH ABOUT, THE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED TO ALSO BE MORE MINDFUL OF WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A THREAT.

IT HAS CONDITIONED THEM NOT TO HESITATE, IN MOST CASES, TO REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY.

I THINK THAT IS KEY, WORKING IN COLLABORATION TO BETTER PROTECT OURSELVES OR RESPOND TO THE UNFORTUNATE SITUATIONS THAT, IN OUR , NATION SEEM TO CONTINUE TO OCCUR.

>>WHILE VIOLENCE AGAINST LGBTQ+ PEOPLE IS JUST ONE OF THE ISSUES BEING DEBATED AMONG MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, IT'S BEEN A BUSY FEW WEEKS FOR POLICY ON THESE ISSUES.

>>THAT'S RIGHT.

LAST WEEK ON THE SHOW, WE DISCUSSED THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNING OF THE FAIRNESS IN WOMEN'S SPORTS BILL, WHICH PREVENTS TRANS WOMEN AND GIRLS FROM COMPETING IN WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' SPORTS IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

THEN THE GOVERNOR'S SPARKED CONTROVERSY AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH HIS VETO PEN.

>>THE GOVERNOR USED HIS POWER OF VETO TO REMOVE FUNDING FROM THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FROM THE ZEBRA COALITION, WHICH PROVIDES HOUSING AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO LGBTQ YOUTH.

HE ALSO VETOED $150,000 FROM THE ORLANDO UNITED ASSISTANCE CENTER, WHICH PROVIDES MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING TO PULSE SURVIVORS.

WE ASKED THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO RESPOND TO CRITICISMS OF THE MOVE.

IN AN EMAIL TO NEWSNIGHT, THE GOVERNOR'S PRESS SECRETARY SAID, "THE GOVERNOR VETOED $1.5 BILLION IN TOTAL, INCLUDING DOZENS OF LINE ITEMS.

REGARDING THE OUAC COUNSELING PROGRAM, THAT FUNDING HAS NEVER BEEN DISPERSED AS PART OF PREVIOUS BUDGETS.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS BEEN A CHAMPION ON MENTAL HEALTH SINCE DAY ONE AND HE ABSOLUTELY SUPPORTS EACH AND EVERY FLORIDIAN WHO'S EXPERIENCED TRAUMA, WHICH HAS A LIFELONG IMPACT ON SURVIVORS.

TO THIS END, THE FLORIDA LEADS BUDGETS INCLUDES A HISTORIC INCREASE FOR COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT ALL FLORIDIANS IN NEED, INCLUDING LGBTQ FLORIDIANS, ARE ABLE TO ACCESS VITAL SUPPORT AND RESOURCES."

>>THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE POINTS TO AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN $200 MILLION IN OVERALL MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

WE ASKED ORLANDO STATE REPRESENTATIVE, CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH, WHY HE THINKS SPECIFIC FUNDING FOR LGBTQ MENTAL HEALTH IS NEEDED?

>>WELL, THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

IT'S IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY OR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, IN THIS CASE, WE'RE DEALING WITH BOTH, THAT WE HAVE CULTURALLY COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS.

FOLKS WHO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THEIR CLIENTS.

FOLKS WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH AS LGBTQ PEOPLE WHO PERHAPS HAVE FACED FAMILY REJECTION, WHO DON'T HAVE THE TRADITIONAL SUPPORT STRUCTURE THAT OTHERS CAN EXPECT.

>>THE ATTACK AT PULSE WAS ONE OF THE WORST OR THE WORST ATTACK AGAINST THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

AND FIVE YEARS LATER, THE DATA SHOW THAT WE ARE NOW EXPERIENCING A SPIKE IN ATTACKS AGAINST PARTICULARLY TRANS WOMEN, TRANS WOMEN OF COLOR.

I WONDER WHAT YOU MAKE OF THAT, THAT WE'RE SORT OF FIVE YEARS OUT FROM THAT ATTACK, BUT WE'RE STILL FACING THESE ISSUES ON THAT SCALE?

>>WELL, IT'S ANOTHER PAINFUL REMINDER THAT GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS AN LGBTQ RIGHTS ISSUE.

OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY EASY ACCESS TO FIREARMS IN THE UNITED STATES, WHETHER IT HAS TO DO WITH ACCESS TO MILITARY STYLE ASSAULT WEAPONS, LIKE THE ONE THAT WAS USED AT PULSE NIGHTCLUB, TO COMMIT THE WORST ACT OF HATE AGAINST THE LGBT COMMUNITY IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY, WHETHER IT'S THE RASH OF VIOLENCE AGAINST TRANSGENDER WOMEN, WHERE THOSE ACTS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS COMMITTED WITH A FIREARM, OUR COMMUNITY HAS REALLY BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY EASY ACCESS TO FIREARMS.

FIVE YEARS LATER, HAVE WE MADE SOME PROGRESS?

WE'VE MADE SOME.

WE'VE SEEN SOME SMALL STEPS WITH LAWS THAT HAVE PASSED EVEN HERE IN FLORIDA, LIKE THE MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS SCHOOL SAFETY ACT WITH THE RED FLAG LAWS THAT WERE PASSED IN THAT BILL RAISING THE AGE FROM 18 TO 21 TO PURCHASE A FIREARM, BUT THERE'S STILL SO MUCH MORE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO RESTRICTING ACCESS TO WEAPONS OF WAR.

>>YOU WERE THE FIRST LATINX, LGBTQ LEGISLATOR IN FLORIDA.

AND BEING IN THAT POSITION, YOU HAVE A SORT OF A UNIQUE POSITION TO SPEAK ABOUT THE TRAGEDY AT PULSE.

I WONDER WHAT THAT TRAGEDY MEANS TO YOU AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE WAY YOU CARRY OUT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A LEGISLATOR?

>>THE TRAGEDY OF PULSE NIGHTCLUB IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK ABOUT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

IT'S THE REASON WHY I WEAR THIS RIBBON ON MY JACKET.

I ALWAYS HAVE IT ON BECAUSE IT HELPS ME CENTER MY WORK IN THE LEGISLATURE AND IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, WHICH IS LIFE, LOVE AND EQUALITY FOR ALL.

>>WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE MEMORIAL?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO CREATE A NATIONAL MEMORIAL?

IS THAT AN IMPORTANT STEP TO TAKE TO RECOGNIZE THE PULSE TRAGEDY AS A NATIONAL TRAGEDY IN THAT WAY?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT SPACE, THAT THAT HALLOWED GROUND IS ONE THAT IS PRESERVED.

NOT ONLY SO THAT FAMILIES AND SURVIVORS CAN HAVE THAT SPACE OF REFLECTION, BUT ALSO SO THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN LEARN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE ON JUNE 12TH, 2016, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEEDS OF THE PULSE COMMUNITY GO WAY BEYOND ANY MUSEUM OR MEMORIAL SITE.

THERE ARE REAL CRITICAL NEEDS AS IT RELATES, OF COURSE, TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND OTHER SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR THE SURVIVORS AND FAMILIES OF THE ATTACK AT PULSE THAT ARE ALSO VERY IMPORTANT AND THAT NEED OUR ATTENTION AND SUPPORT.

>>AND OF COURSE, THE SENATE PASSED THAT BILL THIS WEEK DESIGNATING PULSE AS A NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN SEE EXTENDED INTERVIEWS FROM TONIGHT'S SHOW ON OUR WEBSITE, PLUS A LINK TO THE GOVERNOR'S VETO LIST ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

NANCY.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE OF THESE EVENTS, JUST KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY IS BEHIND YOU.

WE CAME TOGETHER FIVE YEARS AGO AND WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.