The “Love is Love”
art project at MegaCon will raise funds to support Pulse victims.
As an aspiring vascular neurologist, Constance Katsafanas understands the brain.
As a Longwood native who graduated from Lake Mary High School and the University of Central Florida, Katsafanas appreciates the heart of her community, too. Orlando’s shared heartbeat is still strong almost a year after 49 people were killed at Pulse nightclub on June 12.
“When there is tragedy, art is a wonderful reaction — both for fundraising’s sake and art for art’s sake — to create something beautiful and something hopeful and strong,’’ said Katsafanas, 34.
That is the goal of “Love is Love,” an art project and auction Katsafanas is organizing as part of MegaCon. The convention of comic-book, science-fiction, horror, anime and gaming enthusiasts runs Thursday-Sunday at the Orange County Convention Center and is expected to attract more than 100,000 fans.
More than 50 artists’ work are expected to be auctioned, including a pinup piece of Wonder Woman by George Pérez (the “Avengers’’ series, “The New Teen Titans’’) and one owned by “Love is Love” project creator Marc Andreyko. Comic-book illustrators Cat Staggs, Amanda Conner and Rafael Albuquerque are among other contributors.
With a goal of raising more than $20,000, the event will include a reception and book signing of the “Love is Love’’ anthology on Friday and an auction of art from the book Saturday. Proceeds will benefit Equality Florida, which advocates for LGBT rights.
“What we saw in Orlando in the aftermath of the shooting is a lot of people coming together but not knowing exactly how,’’ Katsafanas said. “That is why the ‘Love is Love’ project actually came to fruition. It was a way to do something, to contribute something.’’
Katsafanas, who said she knew people who were at Pulse the night of the massacre, said the community reaction remains strong nearly a year later, but it is different. “It has changed from sadness and shock to determination,’’ she said. “It has changed from bewilderment and grief to strength and hope. The community is still invested in what happened to those 49 people.
“It’s still incredibly sad,” she said. “I get choked up just thinking about it, as I am sure many people still do, but there is also a sense of purpose now that will continue to stand.’’