JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Students, campus leaders and community members came together Tuesday night at the University of North Florida campus for a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of Sunday's mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando.
Two days after the shooting, people are still trying to come to terms with what happened so close to Jacksonville.
The tone of the vigil was solemn and many people were still in shock.
One student read the names of each person killed in the shooting -- one by one. Speakers encourage those in attendance to embrace peoples difference and practice compassion.
"As a member of the LGBT community, I just want the people in Orlando to know, whether we're two hours north of them or all the way in California, this affects all of us," Collie Scott said.
Kaitlin Legg, assistant director of the LGBT Resource Center at UNF, said the shooting has led many to push for greater acceptance moving forward.
"The first thing that we needed to do was to tell UNF students and the Jacksonville community that we support and love them, no matter what," Legg said. "I think that's it's really called attention for the need of all of us to come together, whether we're LGBT, Muslim, Christian, whatever -- in a time when politics is so polarizing."
Students like Jennifer Osse emphasized the importance of showing unity after tragedy.
"Just awareness, so that people can understand, you know, stop the hate, love one another. And we're all people. We're human beings. And we all have feelings as well," Osse said.
UNF President John Delaney announced Sunday that counselors are available for students following the deadly attack.
The UNF Counseling Center is in Founders Hall, Building 2 in room 2300. Counselors are available for walk-in appointments and available to speak with students by phone. Students can call the helpline at 904-620-2602.
OneJax, an institute of UNF, will also hold at prayer vigil at noon Wednesday at Hendricks Baptist Church at 4001 Hendricks Ave. Those who attend will have the opportunity to sign a statement of solidarity against acts of hatred, bigotry or violence in our community.
In addition, the Department of Health Promotion and OneBlood will host a campus blood drive from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday on Osprey Plaza at the Student Union, Building 58.
