A Response to the Club Q Mass Shooting

Dear Wilder colleagues and supporters,

This weekend brought another mass shooting in our country and another vicious attack on the LGBTQ+ community. Saturday night, a gunman opened fire in an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and wounding 25 more. Multiple witnesses say a man entered the club and began shooting immediately. He was subdued by two individuals in the club who acted heroically to prevent him from killing or injuring more people before police arrived. The fact that this violent act of terrorism took place on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance makes it even more devastating.

I join you in this moment of heartache, grief, anger, and whatever else you may be experiencing right now. I ask all of us to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.

Saturday’s fatal shooting is the latest of countless examples of hatred faced by those identifying as LGBTQ+ in this country and around the world. These actions are meant to divide us from one another and to make people afraid to simply be who they are. Wilder’s mission drives us to do the opposite—to bring people together and to celebrate each person’s authentic, unique identity. I am proud to be part of an organization committed to honoring our shared humanity as we work toward a better future for all people.

I encourage each of us to make time to be in community in the face of this weekend’s violence. The Wilder Pride Employee Resource Group is a safe space that celebrates queerness and all genders. All Wilder employees are welcome to participate in Pride meetings and activities.

I often say that community is the answer, no matter the question. I believe that is especially true in moments of suffering. However you define “community” or “family” for yourself, I hope you are surrounded by those who love you and support you now and in the weeks to come. Thank you for your contributions to Wilder, the community, and to each other.

Sincerely,

Armando Camacho
President and CEO