Pulse Nightclub Owner Barbara Poma To Speak at ArtServe Wednesday, November 2

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Barbara Poma, who grew up in Coral Springs and who owned the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando where the worst mass shooting in U.S. history at the time took the lives of 49 members of the LGBTQ community, will speak at ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday, November 2 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Barbara Poma, who grew up in Coral Springs and who owned the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando where the worst mass shooting in U.S. history at the time took the lives of 49 members of the LGBTQ community, will speak at ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday, November 2 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Admission is free and registration is required. To register, email ocaballero@our-fund.org. ArtServe is located at 1350 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale.

Poma, who will speak in the newly renamed “The Our Fund Foundation Hall at ArtServe” auditorium, has dedicated to herself to raising funds for the onePULSE Foundation, which is working to create a “monument of wonder” at the former Pulse site. During her talk she will provide an update on the onePulse Foundation’s efforts to uplift the marginalized communities who were most affected by the Pulse tragedy.

Poma also will discuss the planned components of the memorial, which include a permanent museum and a “Survivor’s Walk” commemorating the walkway from Pulse nightclub to the trauma unit that saved so many lives that tragic evening.

The Our Fund Foundation, which will hold this and many of its future events at The Our Fund Foundation Hall at ArtServe throughout the year, is assisting in the financial management of the onePulse Foundation efforts. Our Fund Foundation promotes philanthropy, manages enduring investments and conducts impactful grant-making to improve the lives of those in the LGBTQ community in South Florida.

“In the wake of that dark cloud on LGBTQ history, there has been much healing and growth thanks to this galvanizing effort,” Our Fund Foundation President David Jobin said. “Within the safe space provided by the intimate new Our Fund Foundation Hall at ArtServe, we can have a community conversation on the LGBTQ community’s resilience and how to move forward with creating this sanctuary of healing.”

ArtServe inspires, supports and advances its diverse members, artists and community by promoting artistic development, education and prosperity through the exploration and presentation of the visual and performing arts.

About ArtServe

Named a “2020 Top-Rated Nonprofit” by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews of charities and nonprofits, Fort Lauderdale-based ArtServe is an award-winning arts incubator that is advancing the arts for social good as a creative laboratory and hub for experimental artists committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Now in its 35th year, ArtServe has won several awards for innovation in the arts and is supported in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and Florida’s Department of State and the Division of Cultural Affairs. Each year, ArtServe programs contribute tangibly to the region’s economy, helping 2,000+ artists sell their work, build businesses and engage the community. To do that, ArtServe secures financial support through donations, sponsorships and memberships.