SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Last Sunday evening, huddled around tables near the windows at Javaroma, NWT Pride held a somber event.
The group dedicated to celebrating the territory's LGBTQ+ communities held a night of support and solidarity for the victims and survivors of the Orlando massacre, which killed 49 people Sunday and wounded another 53 after a man entered a gay Florida nightclub with a handgun and assault rifle and opened fire.
Before dying, the gunman, Omar Mateen, claimed allegiance to the Islamic State.
"As an individual I can say that it doesn't feel good to know that myself and my loved ones are not safe from targeted violent acts of hate," said Krystal Thompson, NWT Pride Board Secretary, on Monday.
She said after hearing about the massacre, Pride members reached out to one another and decided to hold the night of solidarity immediately, organizing the event within minutes.
At first organizers hoped the weather would be good enough to have the vigil outdoors, where people could light candles and listen to speakers. Sunday turned out to be rainy and cold, so Javaroma allowed the group to host the event in the coffee shop, said Thomspon.
Garrett Cochrane did not attend the event. The 27-year-old man, who identifies as gay and is the NWT Pride board spokesperson, said it was too painful.
When he first heard the news Sunday early morning, he was just left perplexed.
"Why would someone take the time out of their lives to go and murder us?" Cochrane asked over the phone Tuesday. He told Yellowknifer he wishes government organizations in the Northwest Territories, especially the City of Yellowknife, would show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, either by flying the gay pride flag, lowering flags to half-mast or offering a moment of silence - anything to show support.
"We were hoping these organizations, especially the government institutions, would decide to take the initiative themselves," Cochrane said.
He said his emotions haven't lessened since Sunday and doubted they would for a long time. His voice over the phone was tense.
"My anger is directed at the lack of programs, the lack of our allies stepping up, the blatant wake-up call that some hate us enough, even on this continent, to murder, or as I should even say, execute us," he said.
However, Cochrane said his anger isn't directed anyone individually besides Mateen, and overall, he describes Yellowknife as a progressive place. But he said its also not perfect.
"We are being ignored right now," he said.
Thomspon said NWT Pride wanted to host the event that day so that people who did want to show solidarity could come together soon after the tragedy.
Between 15 to 20 people filtered in throughout the night, which was held between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.
"We want to make sure that our community had a way of connecting with each other and showing each other support," Thompson said. "We also wanted to let the LGBTQ+ community of Orlando, Florida, the U.S. and the world know that we are with them and we will not let these events go unnoticed."
