Got a beer at the Stonewall Inn this afternoon with Thor, a bit of a pilgrimage you could say. We sat next to an incredibly kind woman and her husband. We exchanged hellos and and questions about where we were from and why we were in the city. She is from Orlando. Her name is Barbara. She mentioned a rally this Friday at Stonewall. The music was loud so it was hard to make out all the details.
I asked for a photo when we left without knowing her full story.
Found her bio later that evening:
Barbara Poma is the owner of the Pulse Nightclub, started Pulse as a clean beautiful place the LGBTQ+ community would be proud to bring their mother. Since the shooting, she has founded the @onepulseorg Foundation which is creating a memorial that opens hearts, a museum that opens minds, educational programs that open eyes and endowed scholarships that open doors.
My heart leapt in my chest reading that.
In darkness, there can be such extraordinary light.
There is love, and there are allies.
It’s wonderful to know.