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I got. [00:00:30] [00:01:00] [00:01:30] [00:02:00] Yeah. [00:02:30] [00:03:00] [00:03:30] You open up a po [00:04:00] music. Thank you. Everybody who has arrived here to support this to stand in solidarity with Orlando. We acknowledge the lives that were lost, the people who were harmed, the and friends of all the people affected by what happened there, Uh, we bank inside out for the speed with which she [00:04:30] pulled this together, Giving us an opportunity to be here. And express is the paint, the grief, the anger that we see for what has occurred. It is a sad reminder of where we are. Uh, I've heard it said that this was an act of senseless violence. I would say that that is not actually true. I would say, in a world [00:05:00] we are systemic homophobia, biphobia and transphobia exists and is supported by state and religious structures. Uh, and their minds It's not senseless at all. I'm proud of all of us to be here with you. And because we stand here in our own mana. We stand here in solidarity with Orlando [00:05:30] and with each other. Uh, hi, everyone. Um, my name is Bella, and I'm the one of the co chairs for inside out. Um, first if you just want to say thank you all so much for coming. Um, you all look really beautiful. The candle lights are real nice. Um, I'm not gonna do much talking. I'm just gonna say thank you. And I'm just going to introduce the people [00:06:00] that are here because this isn't our platform is inside out. This is a community platform, and this is everyone's opportunity to take a moment and sort of say thanks and be together as a community. Um, so the first person that we're gonna ask to speak is Mayor Celia Wade Brown. So and I'd like to thank [00:06:30] inside out for bringing us together tonight for bringing together lesbian, gay, bi, trans intersex people and all of your friends in the capital from whatever country. I'd like to acknowledge the American Ambassador Mark Gilbert and the support from the US Embassy. I'd like to thank the staff that have been able to light up the Michael Fowler Centre to show [00:07:00] the world that Wellington is a beacon of love and a beacon of hope. And that symbol of the rainbow that sunshine through rain is how is so important to us. It's also about the equality and appreciation of ethnic diversity of belief. Systems [00:07:30] of the freedom to choose to express a religion or to choose not to have a religion. And that is what we stand for in Wellington. And thank all of you for being here tonight. Our thoughts go to the people of Orlando. Those who have died too early, those who are in critical care and all their friends and family and the things they never got to do. We stand [00:08:00] with Orlando. Thank you for that. Um next we'll ask Mark Gilbert, the US ambassador, to say a few words America, [00:08:30] Barack Obama, go United States Ambassador Mark Gilbert. Oh, what happened last night in Orlando should never happen [00:09:00] anywhere. We shouldn't have to gather in groups like this to pray for those who are in critical condition to mourn those who have been killed by a senseless act of violence. I know that we all pray and hope for the day [00:09:30] that we can all be treated, that men and women are all created equal, that we can pray for the day that this senseless violence stops, that we can pray for the day that we can all live in peace and harmony together. On behalf of President Obama and the people [00:10:00] of the United States, I want to thank you for being here tonight to show your solidarity with the people of Orlando from my home state of Florida and the outpouring of support that we have received from all throughout New Zealand, from our old friends and from new friends. Thank you for being here. Thank you for what you do. [00:10:30] Thank you to inside out for putting this together so quickly and thank you for standing with the United States. OK, um, we would also like to say thanks to all the MP S that have taken time out of their schedules to be here. So, um, a handful of them are gonna say a few words. So to start with, we've got Jan Logie. [00:11:00] It's hard to know what to say. Um, in the face of such horror and a sense of our family being under attack and so many lives lost and that sense of familiarity with the hatred that created this attack, I think, um, when we come together and we stand [00:11:30] in our diversity and acknowledging that the world is a better place when we're all able to stand in our difference, then we are standing up for the possibility of a better world, and we know. And sadly, the hate crime in Orlando was another reminder of how much work we have to do that [00:12:00] they are internationally. The world is in a contest to celebrate those on one side who want to celebrate difference and those who seek to repress difference. And as I'm proud to be able to stand with you in that celebration of difference killed him [00:12:30] in June, Uh, in the United States and in the Northern Hemisphere, it's Pride Month. I had the privilege to live in the US for a couple of years, and I can tell you that June is the month in the calendar. Uh, it's a month when pride parades, activities take place. It's a month where the bars are [00:13:00] fuller. It's a month where a lot of people choose the time to come out to be who they are, because there's so much joy and celebration about being who we are. And into that month of pride walked someone with so much anger and hate. My heart goes out to the [00:13:30] loved ones of everyone in Orlando who was killed or injured. My heart goes out to the futures that will never be the lives of huge potential that will not be lived. And to a community in Orlando that is grieving and to the whole of the United States, it's those people who we must think of tonight whose lives [00:14:00] will never be the same, and we have to send, and we are sending our love to all of those people. But the other thing that I want us to think about tonight is the importance of never, ever letting hate win, of making sure that we, as a community, an LGBT community and our wider, affirming supporters always stand together, always [00:14:30] stand up for love, for understanding, for acceptance and for pride and joy in who we are Tonight, we're standing for all of those values, the things that in our huge rainbow of difference draw us together time and time again that we do believe in those values. We believe in a community [00:15:00] that says you have the right to be who you are, and we will support you in that tonight in Orlando, those values have been challenged. It is our job to stand up and say once again we stand together. We stand strong as a community. Love is love. It will always conquer hate. [00:15:30] Firstly, to for, uh, opening our tonight, Uh, in a way that enables us all to come together. I'd also like to acknowledge the leadership of Inside Out and Bella, who used Facebook to communicate with a few of us to ask us to be here tonight to Mayor Celia. Thank you for your leadership, [00:16:00] Mark. It's always nice to see you. I hope you know how valued you are as part of our community being the ambassador for the US and to all of us who have come here tonight to stand in solidarity with our in Orlando. I want to To you, to our members of our LGBTI community. But our broader community, I think I'm incredibly proud, uh, to be, uh, one of [00:16:30] our out and proud MP S in Parliament and an opportunity for us to come together, uh, to show how much love we had. I want to thank Grant for the words that he used, because it's at time, like times like this. Uh, we can be divided. Uh, but I think this is when we have to pull together and to, uh, members of our Muslim community here in a So I particularly want to acknowledge our Muslim community [00:17:00] in a because the Islamic state does not exist here. The Muslims who live in our country are Muslims who, like us, have LGBTI members of their, and they love them as much as we love ourselves and each other. So the tolerance that we must, uh, display isn't about being tolerant of Muslims here in a because the Islamic state does not exist. But what we have to do, as Elizabeth highlighted, [00:17:30] is that is be ever vigilant of of Islamic state, uh, ideologies that say women are less and that our community is less. And so the challenge for us is to continue the fight to be free and equal and dignity and rights. And so what we've done by coming together is to show the strength of our community, but also the ability of our community to be clear about who the enemy is. [00:18:00] And it's not our Muslim brothers and sisters here in Aotearoa. So I've chosen to focus on that Because, um I hope that we will show, as we have done, uh, with a lot of human rights advancements here in New Zealand that by talking together, uh, through, uh, through our ability to come together. Actually, we can overcome a lot of hatred, a lot of prejudice and actually show the way forward it is about [00:18:30] moving beyond tolerance. Actually, it's about having an appreciation and a love for the diversity that is a New Zealand. New Zealand today. Um, so I'm I'm happy to be here. Uh, with all of you, uh, showing our solidarity. No. Um, so that was timed. Really? Well, because [00:19:00] internationally, at 6. 30 there is a minute of silence, and we thought that we would do that as well. So if everyone would like to just take a moment? Um, yeah, [00:19:30] OK, so the next person that was gonna speak on behalf of the Human Rights Commission um was Rakesh [00:20:00] I bring with me condolences on behalf of the Human Rights Commission as well as the leadership of the New Zealand Muslim communities. I have a statement that has been prepared by Richard Tankersley, a commissioner at the Human Rights Commission. [00:20:30] as well as a the president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, New Zealand's Muslim leadership and communities and the New Zealand Human Rights Commission condemned the violent shooting tragedy in Orlando, Florida We are outraged and shocked at this despicable crime and our thoughts are with the victims of this cowardly attack. We stand alongside all victims and we stand against this appalling [00:21:00] violence which must never have any place in our civilised democratic societies. Our response to hatred is humanity. We stand together in solidarity against hate, all forms of homophobia, violence and intolerance. New Zealand Muslims and the New Zealand Human Rights Commission urges all Kiwis to stand together against this hatred. [00:21:30] Next up we've got Rebecca, who's gonna say a prayer for us. Um if you pray, then please join me. Create a god giver of life. Mother and father of us all comfort those who mourn This day. We pray for the Latin community in Orlando and all the people of colour in our [00:22:00] society and in America who are oppressed and marginalised, God of the oppressed. Hear our prayer. We pray for our LGBT Q siblings and here who are persecuted and vulnerable even in places we consider to be safe. God of refuge. Hear our prayer. We pray for the Muslims in America and in our society that they be protected from the senseless [00:22:30] reactions of the intolerant god of shelter. Hear our prayer. We pray for the church that we may acknowledge our sins of silence and of hate and for the strength to fight for the oppressed God of justice. Hear our prayer. We remember all those who have died, especially all the victims of the pulse nightclub shooting. All of whose names are known to you, God [00:23:00] of hope. We thank you that not even death can separate us from your life. We pray for the survivors for victims, friends and families and all who mourn that they may feel your comfort for them. God of love. Hear our prayer, Lord, have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Amen. [00:23:30] Next up, we've got Daisy who's prepared a speech. I woke up this morning to find that 50 of my family were killed and 53 others were hurt. I had spent most of the day in tears and shock before finding out about this event and decided that I need to take some action. I think we can all agree how close to home this hit us. Most of us, I'm sure, would have been to a gay bar [00:24:00] at some point. Sometimes you just pop in on the way home. Sometimes you go out with the purpose of trying to meet someone. But most importantly, you go out to have a good time. You go to a space where you know you will be safe and you will be respected. I cannot even imagine going out with these intentions to a safe place to not return home at all. My last partner and I met in a gay bar. We fell in love and we spent a wonderful year together. I can't help but think how many potential [00:24:30] lovers may have met that night only to not have been given that opportunity. But as a community, we owe it to those individuals to continue to be true to ourselves, continue to spread nothing but love and continue to make our community proud. We must pay respect to the lives lost. But we must also rise above the hate. And at the end of the day, love is the foundation of this community. It is the most powerful force and it will always prevail, [00:25:00] educate, continue to be loving and continue to be yourselves. Do not succumb to the fear that this event was intended to provoke. We're stronger than that. This is another obstacle. Our community has been thrown, but we will jump over it with more drive and more power. Do not let this dampen your spirits instead. And excuse me for the cliche. Continue to let it ignite the beautiful flame that is the gay community [00:25:30] to the gunman. I'm sorry your life was so short and filled with ignorance and hate. That's no way to live to his family. I'm sorry. You'll now have to bear the weight of his actions on your shoulders. I can't imagine how much how many death threats and hate you'll be getting and most importantly to all the family, friends and anyone affected by this event. I am sorry. I am. I'm so sorry for your losses. You will continue to have the support from the worldwide family [00:26:00] of the gay community and its allies. You are not alone. Stay strong and continue shining bright like the diamonds you are Thank you and rest in peace. The next person who's on my list, but it's got a T BC Next to it was Marie. Were you still wanting to speak fantastic? Everyone [00:26:30] wanting to speak? I don't think that's the right word. Like many of you, I heard this story on the Internet. America is a place I've gone a lot. I've been a member of this community for over 50 years. That's not why I am here tonight. [00:27:00] I'm a counsellor, and what I want to remind everyone tonight is the importance of community, remembering the extraordinary person that you are and doing what some of you have done tonight, which is reach out and talk and remind each other how precious and important we are. [00:27:30] There's been a lot of talking tonight about being a counter to hatred and sadly, tonight reminds us big picture what our community is about. So please look after yourselves. Talk, cry, laugh And above all, remember what an extraordinary community we are. [00:28:00] It's a community that has its own problems, and often we focus sideways. But a day like the last 24 hours reminds us of what is important. Thank you, Mayor Celia Wade Brown and the other speakers. But I want to acknowledge the fact that our town hall is a rainbow tonight and the extraordinary things that do [00:28:30] go on into a hold on to that. Thank you, Tabby, for asking me to speak. Just look after yourself and be gentle, all of you. Now, we'll have the mic open for a little bit. So if anyone has anything that they'd like to say now is your opportunity. Um, my name is Hugo. [00:29:00] And, um, I remember when I was at high school that I was incredibly blown away with how homophobic an environment it was and how incredibly, uh, proud and moved. I was to see, um, a transition in recent years or what I've perceived to be a transition and to to see such a a sort of a parallel shift between what I've experienced in in this society in this nation. [00:29:30] And this horrific event, um, has has has inspired this, um, this poem that I want to perform for you. And, uh, I want to credit my friend, um, Lily, for, um, having the courage to to write a poem before me to, um to represent her feelings on this event, because otherwise I don't think I would have had the, uh, the the the courage to to do so. So, um, thank you to her. Also, um, [00:30:00] outpouring of love and blood soaked alchemy. Call to prayer call to poetry. Blood soaked fists and faces and ink soaked letters already submitted to by the dead attendants and the freedom. One was threatened with hatred and steal as wounds were plugged with silks in the dark ordeal. Hatred reduced that human soup to faggots and squeezed [00:30:30] it trigger firing metal jackets whose tips cut flesh and splattered faces with crimson. They could not stand against his fractured reason, but simply ran in chaos to place of safety as the gunman turned his hateful weapon, strafing and bearing black flag with his words professed riddling rainbow banners with hateful zest sanctified by false god of hate, who blessed his hatred [00:31:00] and made it purer than victim's blood. Outpouring of love purchased at terrible cost. 50 dead whose 50 lights were lost when concentration camps were freed. The gays were left to serve their time. Their savior's mercy did not extend to them like other souls they did defend. And so they were twice victimised once by the enemy and once by familiar eyes and in times to come. Their [00:31:30] love remained illegal, but they bore it strong and proud, like a legion's eagle. And then when in several states and several nations the freedom to affirm their love was granted an injustice of the past. At last supplanted came a man who stood feet firmly planted and vanquished their security with steel. Thank you. Um, [00:32:00] um, yeah, I just kind of wanted to thank everyone for being here tonight. I was, uh I couldn't sleep last night. I turned on the clock radio to try and get me to go to sleep because I thought, Oh, you know, national radio. That'll do it. No, not so much. Um oh, look at me. Making [00:32:30] jokes to cover up the grief. Yep. Um, when I was walking down here, uh, I just had this real sense of grief and also gratitude that here we are all again having a candlelight vigil. Um, yeah. Uh, and it kind of helps me make sense of some of the things in my life that I've struggled with um I've had mental [00:33:00] health issues. Uh, I currently take quite a lot of antidepressants in the morning. Um, I've had a number of my friends commit suicide, and then I kind of remember, right, there are people in the world who want to kill me dead, and that's pretty stressful to live with. Yeah, just a little bit. And, um, you all are. You know, all all I have, um, you know, I try and talk [00:33:30] to my straight friends. Although there's probably lots of straight allies here. Yeah, and they're kind of like, Oh, you know, it's not that bad. It's like marriage equality. And I'm like, Yeah, a awesome um Although I know that, um, is standing behind me anyway. Um, a I'm gonna shut up now. Thanks. Thanks, everyone, [00:34:00] Uh, my country, tis of thee sweet land of liberty never felt so wrong. Um, I walked around work feeling very alone today, so thank you [00:34:30] for not making me feel alone anymore. I had to watch my friends in Florida's news feed today as they reached out to our brothers and sisters in the queer community and ask them to tell to call their parents. Um so they wouldn't worry. Um, so this feels like a big [00:35:00] hug. So thank you. Just to reiterate, as a fellow American who's been back and forth from here in California and being queer, I thank you and my brothers and sisters in America, Thank you for this kind of support. Sometimes we don't think that this is enough, but when we see this globally, it means a great deal to those in the States and those who are struggling constantly. I think also those who get [00:35:30] to see this in countries where there is no freedom. But they see this kind of gathering. It gives them hope. So I thank you for that. I want to thank you for being here, because it's that sharing of community that makes tragedies like this so much easier to bear. Last night, my partner said, There's something really bad happening in Orlando, and I went to social media and they're on the Facebook [00:36:00] page for the nightclub. There were people sharing from within the club, how they were trapped and trying to get out. There were parents. They're worried about their Children who were in the club. There were people saying, My daughter's in there. What's happening to her? And 25 minutes later, she's out. She's safe. And all around the world, there were people starting to comment. There were people from New Zealand, Australia, Germany, the UK. There was actually a global outreach [00:36:30] of people expressing their concern and love and wanting this not to be the tragedy that it obviously now is. But that's the thing that it's it's tough as it is. It's easier for us to cope when we're together like this. So thank you all, especially inside out for organising this and all the speakers, because trying to cope with this by ourselves individually is just so hard. And here in New Zealand, we do have that community to help [00:37:00] us. So I think of the people who are alone and trying to cope with such hatred in their homeland. And I thank you for the support. Uh, hello, everybody. My name is Alexandria Tasca. I run the Queer Network New Zealand Facebook Page as well as the Trans Network Facebook page as well. Um, I would just like to say a big thanks to everybody on social media who helped [00:37:30] put this together and it was actually a great honour to actually be able to spread this event to all those who are actually following my pages. I would just like to do a Buddhist chant for all those who have passed away. Number your ring. Take oh, numb your [00:38:00] ring. Take your ring. Oh, thank you, everyone. My name is Joe. Um, first of all, I just want to say like a massive thank you for all being here. I am so privileged that we live in a country where we are so widely accepted for our differences. But then there's countries that are not and seeing [00:38:30] today, like on the news feeds on news itself is absolutely heartbreaking to know that there's people that aren't being accepted, that there's people being suppressed for who they are. And it's it's hard, um, my thoughts and my heart and my tears that they went out to the people of Florida of Orlando of anyone that's connected to them. For all the talent, the lies and the souls that are lost, words can't even describe how much [00:39:00] it hurts, how big of a hit it is to the community. But like we said, it's so much easier knowing that we can gather that we can support each other through, like, situations like this that we are. We are one as a community. We stand and we can stand strong in who we are. And that is what makes us special. Thank you. Um, hi, everyone. I, uh I I got back from the the States about [00:39:30] two weeks ago now, um, and had my travel plans not gone differently, I would be in Florida right now, which was quite terrifying this morning. Um, but I wanted to tell you all a story in three parts and non lineally. Um, because that's always fun. Um, so this morning, uh, like many of us, I woke up to a multitude of news alerts telling me that something had happened. I looked [00:40:00] to my friends who were in Florida who were travelling who were not immediately accessible to me. Like many of us, I was worried. Like many of us, I spent all day stressed and anxious, and I wanted to tell you all about someone who I met while I was in the States. His name was Arthur Coley, and he was a founding member of one of the gay Mardi Gras [00:40:30] crews, one of the the actually, now the largest gay Mardi Gras crew. And he was. He told me a story when I was speaking to him about the yoga crew. The first ball, the first gay Mardi Gras ball that ever happened, was the yoga crew, and it was raided by police because this was 50 years ago, when being gay was still illegal. And during this raid, people were arrested. [00:41:00] Some people escaped. The queen of the ball, who was dressed in drag and in Rhin stones, was hiding in a bush as the police came through with search lights, and as the search lights hit her, she lit up like a Christmas tree and said, apparently, Well, take mama home then. And I'm telling you this because I want to emphasise the importance that gay bars have in [00:41:30] our community not just now, but historically because when the news of this happened, Miss Dixie of Miss Dixie's Bar, which was the gay bar of New Orleans at the time, opened up the safe behind the bar, took out all the money, handed it to her bartender and told him, Bail everyone out. No one from that raid stayed in jail. Their names were released because it was a crime at the time. [00:42:00] They suffered in the jobs in a way that we hope that we don't have to anymore. But no one stayed in jail because pinnacles of the community like these bars exist. So this morning, with anxious hearts, I remembered this story because we can be strong when we're together. That's that's how our community gains strength. So that's how our community survived. [00:42:30] Arthur again told me that he didn't think, and his friends didn't think they were doing anything special. They just thought that they were having fun and I. I hope that as we continue to change things that we don't think we're doing anything special either. I hope that everything we do seems natural and normal. And I hope that now, as we're standing here with wax burns on our fingers, that we can all continue to be not very special [00:43:00] right now, but really special in 50 years. Thank you. Good evening, Rainbow. I'm privileged to be here from Australia and I just wanted to let you know that in Australia the candlelight vigil will be happening at the same time. Only two hours. Three hours, four hours later that we in Australia are with [00:43:30] our Kiwi brothers and sisters. During this terrible time of this Orlando massacre, it will go down in history. As much as the Stonewall revolution happened a little over 30 years ago at this time, and I think it will give us enormous strength to always pull together and be proud of who we are and what we can do [00:44:00] with this terrible massacre just reminds us that there is still more. There are still more places to go and more work to do. So I'm privileged to be here with all my tonight. Um um my name is Kate. Um oh. Sorry. It's been a very long day. Um, I just wanted to say that, um, we're all here together and that [00:44:30] this day has been very disheartening. And all day I've been sitting in class trying not to cry or vomit or just just lose it, because I'm angry and I'm sad and I'm scared. And, um, as a young queer person, it it's it's hard because I think Is this my future? Is this my life? Is this what it's going to be, um, and I struggle a lot with hope, but [00:45:00] I wanted to say that, um, seeing everyone here with your candles and everyone here together, um, is really helping me hold on to that, um, and is very meaningful. And, um, thank you, everyone. It was Latino and Latina night at the Pulse. This is about 20. So are the names of the people who died there. Excuse my Spanish. [00:45:30] Edward Sotomayor Junior, 34. Stanley Avar, The 3rd, 23. Luis Omar Ocasio Capo, 20 Juan Ramo Guero, 22. Eric Ivan Ortiz Rivera, 36. Peter O, Gonzalez [00:46:00] Cruz, 22. Louise, 22. Kimberly Morris, 37. Eddie Genaro, Justice 30. Darrell Ramone, Burt The 2nd, 29. Dona Dryden, 32. Alejandro Martinez, 21. [00:46:30] Anthony Luis Laia, 25. Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 and Frankie Jimmy de Jesus Vallas, 50. That's probably only half of the people who died. [00:47:00] Someone spoke as a very young person. I could be the oldest person here in advance on 72. Wow. Well, then, uh, and somebody else spoke about the next 50 years. I can tell you about the last 50 years. I can tell you a little about the last 65 years. It was worse. It was very bad. So [00:47:30] for young people, it gets better. And it has. It has got very much better, and it can get even better. The rest of the world can have what we have. And I'm sure there are still issues we need sorting out yet. Adoption. I don't know. You fellas sort that sort that out. Um my husband [00:48:00] brought to my attention what someone at Orlando said from the from the event from the tragedy the disaster, we will dance again. Please remove that. We will dance again and we will keep dancing. And we will never stop dancing that down journal. Hi, My name is Ella and I. I can personally [00:48:30] say that I'm terrified to be up here right now, but I know that everyone here is going to be so proud of everyone that has spoken and just express their own opinions today. Honestly, I was also terrified before I came here because I thought that I was going to be one of the couple of people that actually showed up. But I am so, so thankful to all of you for just showing up and showing your support for everyone here. [00:49:00] And I know that I am so lucky as a young queer person to have all of you here today. I'm sorry if there's a see coming up, but, um, I just know that some of you may have loved ones that you have lost today. I am not sure, but I do know that we have all lost a big deal today because of this hate crime. I was talking [00:49:30] to my friend today and she said she was scared because she didn't know how there could be ever so much hate in this world. And I'm not sure if I'm making any sense at all. My mind is blank. But I told her to not be scared, that we have such a large community of people who are here to help and that she should feel safe in her own body. And that was also the day that she came out to her parents. And [00:50:00] I was so proud of her for just everything that she had done and how safe that she felt and how I got to hold her in my arms as she was crying and thanking me. And I would just like to say thank you to all of you if you have ever helped someone come out or if you ever supported someone who has come out and again, I'm not sure if any of this makes sense to you. But thank you. [00:50:30] I Many of the first speakers spoke about how we would reject any retaliation against Muslim communities, and I just wanted to say I am one of the LGBT members of the Muslim community. And usually, after an event like this, I would be afraid for other people that are like me in that sense that they are Muslims. But today it was different [00:51:00] because I think the world is tired of that narrative. When you look at the social media, all you see are the people rejecting the narrative of blaming Muslims, and I do not. I don't know how to speak for how Muslims in America feel right now, but for Muslims in New Zealand, I don't feel fear today, but yeah, so while we the sorry, [00:51:30] I also wanted to tell my story of how I found out about this event because it is different to how other people have said it today. I did not find out when I woke up this morning because last night I could not sleep because I was. My mind was racing. I could not shut down because I was terrified. My mind would not stop giving me images of my [00:52:00] transgender girlfriend being attacked. My mind would stop, Stop, not stop giving me images of how I would would not be able to protect her. And while we have come together today to still fear, we have come together to show each other that we are not alone. But it is not just these communities. There are the people that did not [00:52:30] come to the events. There are the people that will not even mention it. There are the people that you don't know are struggling, because when I spoke to her this morning, her response was that she was afraid. Still, she feared even in New Zealand to even leave the house again. She didn't want to leave the house. She was so afraid because even in these loving communities in Wellington, people in the LGBT community we live [00:53:00] in the perpetual fear that is created all around the world because today's event was an act of terrorism. And while we mourn the victims in Orlando, we must also remember the other victims of the terrorism aspect. And they are not the people that you would expect. There are the people that won't even mention it. So please, while you have come together today to to show each other that [00:53:30] you are not alone, I ask, Please reach out to the people who you don't think are struggling. Just reach out, remind them of your friendship. Remind them of your acceptance because it is not a one day event. It is our lives, and the fear needs to be needs to be conquered every day. The courage to find, to find the courage to leave the house to go and [00:54:00] continue dancing. It needs to be found every day, and we need our communities every day. So please reach out to the people who didn't come to the people who you don't think it that way, they will find it important to come. Just keep reaching out every day. Thank you for the dignity [00:54:30] and respect of our dear brothers and sisters that have passed and gone to the light from this very, very sad, very, very sad situation in the nightclub in the evening. I honour your souls. I pray that you go to the light and to respect [00:55:00] and pride of our gay community throughout the world. I think sincerely of each one of you that has passed into the next dimension. Proud Americans, land of the free and the home of the brave. This is for you. Find the door [00:55:30] right. What? So Yeah, our lights lost tribes and bright stars. He wants me so and, oh, [00:56:00] the bombs burn. I gave right? Yes. Yeah, Yeah. [00:56:30] Was there anyone else that wanted to say anything? OK, so, um I just say, a handful of thank you. So thank you everyone for coming today. Thank you for finding the bravery within and [00:57:00] the courage to come. Um, and the warmth, because it's a bit nippy. And thank you to those the MP S and Mark Gilbert who have taken time out of their schedules to be here. Um, so I'm gonna pass it over to now. Who will close this for us? Thank you. Because we are the amazing, creative, multifaceted people that we are. We can hold our grief [00:57:30] with our anger with our love, uh, with our hope and our expectation that things are gonna change dramatically over the course of each of our lifetimes. Uh, our finishing is which means that we will all stand together as one as we search for enlightenment. Uh, for knowledge, uh, we do so with love. We stand together as one. [00:58:00] We I out here. [00:58:30] Yeah. Is yeah [00:59:00] away? Mhm.
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