A Tribute to Pulse: The Spark That Lit Our March

On June 12, 2016, the world changed.

In the early hours of that morning, 49 lives were stolen, and countless others shattered, in a place that had always been a sanctuary—Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. What was meant to be a celebration of love, joy, and identity became one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history, and a stark reminder of the hatred still faced by the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Pulse was more than a nightclub. It was a refuge. A space where queer people—especially queer people of colour—could dance, love, and live freely. That night, we lost not only lives but a sense of safety. But in the wake of that grief, something powerful began to rise.

Out of mourning, we found movement.

The horror of Pulse stirred something deep in our hearts. It reminded us that visibility is not just about celebration—it’s about survival. That pride must be protest. That our community must be louder, stronger, and more united than ever before. And so, Why We March was born—not just as a name, but as a call to action.

We march because Pulse was not the first attack—and it won’t be the last—unless we fight for change.

We march to honour the lives taken, the survivors, and all those who carry trauma in silence.

We march for queer spaces, for queer joy, for queer liberation.

Every step we take is for them.

Every banner we raise is in their memory.

Every chant we shout is a promise: that we will not go quietly.

The Pulse tragedy illuminated the pain that still exists in our world—but it also ignited the power within our community. It reminded us why we gather, why we organize, why we resist.

This is why we march.

In memory. In defiance. In love.