“I am mourning with the families and friends of those lost in Orlando. The stark contrast between people dancing, singing, and enjoying their friends and loved ones and the atrocious violence committed speaks to the choice that we face as a society now. Do we choose openness and love or do we choose fear and hatred? May love conquer hate and may we take action to make violence cease.”
Serene Jones, President, Union Theological Seminary
“Today is a day of heartbreak for Orlando, the LGBTQ community (especially the Latinx LGBTQ community, who had an event that evening at ‘Pulse’), our nation, and people of faith and people of conscience all over the world. Especially during the holy and sacred times of Ramadan and Pride Month, these events are especially jarring. Tonight, we gather to mourn and to demonstrate once again that love always conquers hate. What was meant to divide our communities will only bind us closer together. May we all take steps to end gun violence so that we never have to have a vigil like this one again.”
Fred Davie, Executive Vice President, Union Theological Seminary