City Council Highlights – June 12, 2023

Last updated on June 12, 2023

City Council Update 6.12.23 

GENERAL ITEMS

Pulse Remembrance Day

Today is a challenging day for so many in Orlando as it marks seven years since the Pulse tragedy.

Let’s pause for a moment of silence to honor the 49 angels taken on June 12, 2016.

With a number of community remembrance events planned today, we are going to keep our remarks short in order for us make it to the ringing of the 49 Bells at First United Methodist Church and this evening’s annual remembrance ceremony at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

This morning, Mayor Dyer and Commissioner Sheehan met at the memorial labyrinth at Colonialtown Square Park, and then went to Greenwood Cemetery with City Council to pay respects to the victims buried there.

Although time has passed, our community continues to offer hope to the survivors and families of the victims and show our appreciation for our city’s first responders and medical professionals. And we are still responding to one hateful act with love and unity, as well as action to ensure that Orlando is inclusive for LGBTQ+ residents and all who call our city home.

Juneteenth Celebration

As we work to create a more equitable Orlando for all, it’s important to learn from our nation’s past. One week from today our community will celebrate Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865. Commemorating Juneteenth provides us all with the opportunity to celebrate civil rights progress, but also recognize the injustices Black Americans have endured.

For the first time, Juneteenth is a recognized holiday for City of Orlando employees, and we want to thank Commissioner Hill and Commissioner Burns for their leadership in bringing that forward. We also want to invite the entire community to our second annual Juneteenth Celebration, which will be held this Saturday at Clear Lake Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thank you to the City of Orlando staff on our Juneteenth Planning Committee for organizing this impactful event. Some of the committee members are here today and we ask them to please stand so we can recognize them.