Members of the Long Beach LGBTQ community paid tribute to the victims and survivors of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting on Sunday.
With survivors in attendance and many people in tears, the 34th annual Long Beach Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade paid an emotional tribute to the 49 victims of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
The president of Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride said last year's tragic attack happened shortly after their parade, and they never got the chance to pay their respects to the victims of the Orlando.
"I'm here because I have a voice. I'm here to celebrate my community," said survivor Milan D'Marco, who was flown in from Orlando. "Your weapon is your love and your voice," he said. "Only through that will we be able to make the positive changes that we need to make to this world."
Fellow survivor Brian Reagan, manager of the nightclub where the tragic event unfolded, said people must work to make events like the pride parade continue to happen and to preserve the memory of those lost in the shooting.
"Our 49 angels, their names will never be forgotten. They are always in our hearts," he said.
