The site of the worst mass shooting in US history in Orlando will soon become a memorial and museum.
The nightclub has been closed since the shooting on June 12, 2016. Poma came close to selling the property to the city of Orlando last year, but changed her mind.
“We will not let hate win,” she said to a crowd of supporters and reporters.
Roma revealed the creation of the onePULSE Foundation, a non-profit organization that will build and maintain the memorial and museum.
“You go to a memorial to mourn and pay your respects, and you go to a museum to learn,” Poma said.
The foundation already has an incredible list of supporters locally and from Hollywood. A-listers including Lance Bass, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, and Richard Branson have all offered support to make it happen.
“Hollywood has a platform to be a global voice, they’re recognized names, they’re recognized figures,” said Jason Felts, CEO of Virgin Produced, who is also sitting on the foundation board.
The end goal is to make the memorial a destination point, much like the 9-11 memorial is in New York City.
PHOTOS: Victims killed during massacre inside Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
The foundation won’t say how much it has raised so far, but organizers say it could take years in order to get it right.
The next step is solicit feedback from survivors, victims’ families and the community. Poma said it will be up to them to decide how the memorial will look and whether or not to keep the Pulse nightclub building in the picture.
