Fulfilling a promise
Survivor reflects on efforts to ‘keep Orlando dancing’
“I had to show everyone else that Orlando was still dancing and that no one, no matter how hateful they feel, is going to put out our flame.”
— Neema Bahrami, event organizer
Two weeks before the Pulse shooting on June 12, 2016, Melina León took to the stage during the club’s Latin Night. Five years after the tragedy, the merengue singer will hold a concert to commemorate the 49 victims and survivors.
Pulse opened in Orlando in 2004. The gay nightclub was known for hosting diverse events “for all kinds of tastes,” recalled Neema Bahrami, manager on duty the night of the shooting.
“Melina was our first Latin merengue concert at Pulse,” Bahrami recalled. “The gay community loves her. She steps on the stage and brings the house down.”
After the tragedy, León contacted Bahrami immediately and made herself available to help in any way possible, he said.
She traveled to Orlando and worked closely with families, many of them Puerto Rican, who suffered the loss of loved ones. After a year, she participated in remembrance events, donating performances.
“Above all, she loves our community,” said the event manager.
“Three years after Pulse, I invited her to read the names of the 49 with me, she did not hesitate. She sang and honored our sanctuary, our angels,” said Bahrami who describes her as “nothing but family.”
This year “she wanted to do something special,” said Bahrami. “Bring everyone together and celebrate, as we celebrated before, free, full of joy and love.”
“Amor” the concert, which means love in Spanish, will be held at 41 W Church St. in Orlando on June 12. The performance will also feature drag queens “to fulfill our promise to keep Orlando dancing,” said Bahrami.
Doors open at 8:30 p.m. right after the memorial ceremony at the Pulse Interim Memorial (by invitation only) with a live broadcast open to the general public at the Dr. Phillips Center Frontyard FestivalTM. It will also be available on the onePULSE Foundation Facebook page and YouTube channel.
“After remembering them, we will celebrate and dance and sing in their honor,” said Bahrami. “We cannot allow hatred to win. Every time we smile for our angels, we show that we are more kind, that we continue to win, even if there are people and situations against us.”
For Bahrami, who is Iranian, working in the music and entertainment environment represents freedom. “I love Latin music. I am a faithful ally of diversity. I’m in love with reggaeton, merengue, salsa, all that Hispanic music that has an incredible flavor, “he said.
Diversity in entertainment is something Bahrami is proud to be known for. “[People say] if you want a fun and diverse event, go to a Neema event.” And that was precisely what about 320 people who gathered at Pulse on June 12, 2016 were looking for.
“Now is our time to continue reminding people of the importance of diversity, of acceptance, of loving no matter where we come from, what race we are, what our sexual orientation is,” he said.
“In Iran it is illegal to be gay. That is why I live my life to the fullest in this country which opened its doors for me. That is why I live every second to the fullest, especially after that second chance at life after being able to leave Pulse alive,” said Bahrami who began organizing events at age 18 in 1999. He recently graduated from college.
“Pulse was like a sanctuary for me. It was like a gay church, that safe place, where you felt at peace, where you were not judged,” he said.
After the attack, he doubted if he was ever going to hold events again. He began to travel and spoke of his experience. He remembered all those people who were family to him and that event after event greeted him with a kiss or a huge hug.
“Once, a young man asked if I was still doing those events. I told him no, that I was dedicated to speaking on behalf of the 49, to honoring their memory and I was healing myself, as a survivor,” he said. “I remember he replied, ‘So you say that Orlando has to keep dancing, but you are not creating those spaces. You are not doing what you are preaching,’ ” Bahrami recalled.
At that point he decided to resume his entertainment events.
“I had to show everyone else that Orlando was still dancing and that no one, no matter how hateful they feel, is going to put out our flame,” he said.
“It’s been five years, years without our angels, but we will make sure the world never forgets them,” Bahrami added.
“The concert is at Hamburger Mary’s street for those who need a reference. We’ll see you there. Everyone gets in for free before 10 p.m.,” he said.