Orlando’s Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee holds first meeting

ORLANDO, Fla. — The City of Orlando holds its first meeting of the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee on Wednesday at the Kia Center.

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The committee will help to create a conceptual design of the future Pulse memorial using the input from dozens of survivors and families expected to show up to meetings over the next few months.

Previous plans for the memorial faced delays due to disagreements.

Read: City of Orlando announces new Pulse Memorial committee

Norman Castiano, survivor and committee member said, “The major reason I wanted to serve my community like this and be a part of this committee, is because I am a survivor and I was there that night and I experienced it first hand for the last eight years. But mainly, because so many voices have been left unheard.”

Orlando’s Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee holds first meeting The City of Orlando holds its first meeting of the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee on Wednesday at the Kia Center. (WFTV)

The committee said it aims to address community concerns and ensure that the memorial reflects the voices of survivors, victim’s families, the LGBTQ+ community and community stakeholders.

Read: Orlando invites public to the first meetings of the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee

The committee will hold the first meeting on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Each committee meeting will be open to the public- both in-person and virtually.

The committee will meet monthly through the end of the year.

Read: City of Orlando hires third party to lead Pulse Memorial project

The Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee comprises of the following 18 members:

Aracelis Maria Jimenez, lost a family member in the tragedy
Brett Rigas, survivor and lost a family member in the tragedy
Brian Reagan, survivor, former Pulse employee, artist
Carlitos Diaz Rodriguez, family member of a survivor, architect/design professional, landscape architect, artist
Cesar Rodriguez, survivor
Felicia Burt, lost a family member in the tragedy
Jamie Reed, lost a friend in the tragedy, architect/design professional, marketing professional
Joshua Garcia, former Pulse employee, provided services after the tragedy, mental health professional
Keinon Carter, survivor
Kelly Dawson, lives in the Orlando area and felt the loss as a community member, architect/design professional
Rev. Marcelino Rivera, lost a friend in the tragedy, provided services after the tragedy, clergy and artist
Mayra Alvear BenabeI, lost a family member in the tragedy
Norman Casiano-Mojica, survivor
Nancy Rosado, provided services after the tragedy, mental health professional, community advocate, former first responder
Perry T Snider Jr., lost a friend in the tragedy, former Pulse employee, artist
Siclaly “Laly” M. Santiago-Leon, lost a family member in the tragedy
Terrance Hunter, regularly visited or patronized Pulse, educator and museum professional
Tommy Connelly, survivor, artist