Brandon Wolf lived through hell as a survivor of the tragic shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando in 2016. Following the horror of that situation, which claimed the lives of 49 people, Brandon decided to use his voice to speak up for LGBTQ people across the state of Florida, calling for a statewide nondiscrimination law that would protect against discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations, the most powerful way he felt he could honor the lives senselessly lost.

“The sad reality is, the LGBTQ community is no stranger to attacks,” Brandon said, referencing the lack of explicit nondiscrimination protections across the state in Florida. “In 2017, it is legal for Floridians to be denied housing, public accommodations, and even fired simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In the 21st century, employers can hand us a pink slip for the person we fall in love with.”