Memorial Engagement Process

The first phase of this process began in May 2024. First steps involved interviews and outreach with key stakeholders and small focus group discussions. 

Through various in-person and virtual sessions held in both English and Spanish, Dr. Schooler and his team facilitated discussions among victims’ families and survivors to help inform and shape recommendations for the development of a memorial that incorporates their wishes to honor loved ones and memorialize the impact the tragedy has had. 

The information gathered from this outreach and engagement led Dr. Schooler to recommend the formation of a Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee.  

The next step in the process is to create a working Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee. This committee will consist of members representing victims’ families, survivors and other stakeholders, as well as first responders, healthcare professionals, community leaders and those with technical experience in design and engineering, such as landscape architects.  

This committee will further guide the effort to create a permanent memorial at the Pulse site, develop opportunities for input and engagement, in English and Spanish, and ultimately recommend a conceptual design to Mayor Dyer and the Orlando City Council.  

Committee application 

The committee is expected to consist of 10-15 members, who will be primarily selected through an application process. Three members will be appointed by Mayor Dyer.  

Those interested in being a part of the committee can submit an application online or print. The deadline to apply is Sunday, June 23, 2024. *Mail-in applications must be postmarked by June 21, 2024. 

Applications will be reviewed without name or personal identifying information by a group of community leaders who will make a recommendation to Mayor Dyer of individuals to serve on the committee. Those community leaders include:

• JahKiya Bell, Ed.D, Senior Advisor to the President and CEO, Heart of Florida United Way
• Rev. Dr. Jose Rodriguez of the Episcopal Churches of Christ the King and Jésus de Nazaret
• Joél Junior Morales, Foundation Manager, Contigo Fund
• Jesse Arias, Director of the Orlando United Resiliency Services (OURS), LGBT+ Center Orlando
  
  

The announcement of the committee members is slated for early July, with first meetings taking place in mid-July.  

Apply now 

*online application in Spanish

• Download a printable application - ENGLISH(PDF, 81KB)
• Download a printable application - SPANISH(PDF, 81KB)

     Mail completed print applications to:
     Office of the Mayor
     City of Orlando
     400 Orange Avenue
     Orlando, FL 32801

Monthly meetings of the committee will occur through the end of the year. The committee meetings will be available for the public to attend virtually or in-person, in English and in Spanish. 

Gathering feedback from families and survivors on a permanent memorial remains at the forefront of all our efforts. In addition to families and survivors being represented on the committee, there will be multiple opportunities to provide feedback, in English and Spanish.  

In addition to the committee’s work, families, survivors, and the broader community will have multiple opportunities over the next six months to provide input, beginning this summer and continuing through the end of this year.  

We anticipate holding additional public input sessions concurrently with Committee meetings, along with a virtual space online for feedback and a dedicated telephone number for those wishing to communicate by phone or text message. More information on future opportunities for the public to participate will be found here.