Come Out With Pride presented their bid to host WorldPride Orlando 2026 to members of InterPride in October, 2022; I, along with a phenomenal leadership committee, helped prepare the presentation from start to finish — concept and storytelling, scriptwriting, visuals and accompanying media, as well as the selection of a powerhouse group to assist in presenting the various sections (a team which included Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Casandra Matej, CEO of Visit Orlando).
Our goal was to take listeners on an emotional journey, one that began with the tragedy that happened at Pulse Nightclub on June 12, 2016 but then transformed into a story of hope and a much stronger community. Videos were shared from the perspectives of survivors, victims’ friends and families, and others who were deeply affected by the events. The presentation then detailed how Orlando would make a great host for an international event, a chance to welcome people from around the world who showed the city so much love and support over the years.
While the bid was ultimately unsuccessful, our team and numerous others do not feel that was a reflection on the quality of the bid itself or the impact it would have had. Perhaps more importantly, it helped forge new connections within our community and to other external stakeholders — relationships that will only continue to grow and strengthen.
Videos:
- Introduction – June 12, 2016
- The Community Remembers Pulse
- We Love The City Beautiful
- Showcasing Orlando
- Extraordinary Events
- What WorldPride Would Mean To Us
(2022)
This project was created while volunteering with Come Out With Pride. I do not maintain ownership or copyright of these images.
