It's hard to believe that over a week has passed since the horrific shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. In the tragedy's aftermath, we have seen some hope for a brighter future in the marches of solidarity, vigils, and general outpouring of support for victims' families and members of the Orlando community and LGBTQ community.
Last night, more than 50,000 people attended a candlelight vigil at Lake Eola in Orlando, FL, to pay tribute to the 49 people who lost their lives in the shooting. Scholastic Book Fairs employees (pictured above) were among the group. Two of our colleagues shared their thoughts on the evening, which you can read below.
“Being part of the amazing celebration of love and commitment to change from the entire community locally and across the nation was such a wonderful experience. My mother who attended said on our way home, “I have been in large crowds before but never have I been in one so diverse and loving”. I think that says a lot about the community”. – Dale Gregory, Customer Care Manager
“Seeing the community come together to support each other was amazing. I’ve never seen so many people celebrate love & community in such a positive way. What an amazing night!” – Jenni Perreault, Operations Project Manager
In memory of the lives lost in the attack, Scholastic is donating $25,000 to The Center, an Orlando-based LGBTQ organization that serves the Central Florida community and has been working with some of the families of victims. In a message to staff on Friday, our CEO, Dick Robinson said, "Scholastic sends our heartfelt condolences to the victims, their families, and everyone who has been touched by this tragedy. Our donation to The Center signifies our commitment to stand with the LGBTQ community in Orlando and throughout the world. We also show our support by publishing children’s and YA books that provide age-appropriate stories featuring LGBTQ themes, and on Monday, June 27th at 10:00am, two Scholastic authors will receive the Stonewall Book Award-Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award at the American Library Association Conference in Orlando. This is the first time that the Stonewall Book Awards, which honor the best in LGBTQ writing are being presented in both the children and YA categories, and both of this year’s winners are published by Scholastic."
