Lives Remembered: 49 Voices for 49 Memories

Celebrities join forces with a global organization to pay homage to the lives lost in Orlando.

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“For too long, a toxic combination of anti-LGBTQ hate and easy access to guns has put LGBTQ people at disproportionate risk of violence and murder. It’s on all of us to keep their memories alive, and to ensure part of their legacy becomes meaningful action to end hate violence.”

Many things have been said since the night of June 12, 2016. Many flares of anger, heartbreak and despair have shook the country–and the world–to its core as a result of what took place inside the walls of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. As I alluded to in my original piece about the shooting, the tragedy stands as a reminder that no man, woman or child can escape reality forever–but perhaps no words are stronger than the ones quoted above, as they’re part of a new video produced by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and TV writer and producer Ryan Murphy.

In the video, 49 of Hollywood’s biggest names honor and pay tribute to Orlando’s 49 victims. Each celebrity tells a short story about each victim individually–giving viewers a glimpse into their lives. A few celebrities chose to tell more light-hearted stories while others showed tearful emotion. The message of this video, as stated by the HRC, is to “Stop the hate” and put an end to gun violence once and for all. Most importantly, however, it’s another reminder that these 49 innocent people–who came to that nightclub to have fun and celebrate their sexuality–will not, and should not, be forgotten.

The organization released the video earlier this week, and it’s already receiving an overwhelming response on social media. Another underlying theme is the power of unity and coming together in understanding, compassion and love–regardless of race, gender or sexuality.

It might seem as if we’ve all seen dozens of videos like this before. However, while the majority of us have seen them, we must remember there’s a whole new generation who hasn’t. The call to action is still the same, but the means of getting that message across is much different now.