The entire nation was rocked this past Sunday by news of the devastating mass shooting in Orlando, FL, during which U.S.-born citizen Omar Mateen opened fire inside gay nightclub Pulse and killed 49 individuals, while injuring 53 more. It was the deadliest such domestic shooting in our country’s history.
Along with victims, survivors, and their loved ones, the LGBTQ community as a whole has expressed acute heartbreak over this senseless tragedy, which appears to have been motivated in part by anti-gay bias. But they have also rallied to extend their support, thoughts, and prayers to those impacted directly or otherwise. Here in the Hudson Valley region, several organizations are hosting candlelight vigils in a show of solidarity. Below are several occurring tonight and later this week, and for more information about upcoming gatherings locally and elsewhere, we recommend visiting the newly launched #WeAreOrlando website.
- Albany, NY – The Pride Center of the Capitol Region will host a candlelight vigil tonight from 6:00-7:00 pm at West Capitol Park, located at 322 Hudson Ave.
- Hudson, NY – OutHudson will host a vigil tonight at 7:00 pm, at Washington Park on Union Street. They are also sponsoring Hudson Pride, a weekend of events to begin this Friday, June 17.
- Kingston, NY – The Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center will host a vigil this evening from 5:30-6:30 pm at 300 Wall St.
- New City, NY – The Rockland County Government will host a vigil this coming Wednesday, June 15, beginning at 5:00 pm. The event will take place at the Rockland County Courthouse on S. Main St.
Feel free to reach out to us with information on similar events via our Twitter feed, and we will update this story best we can.
