On Nov. 19, a gunman killed five people and injured 25 at Club Q nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colo. Two of the club’s patron’s have been credited with stopping the attack after they confronted and fought with the gunman. During this confrontation, one of the patrons disarmed the gunman and hit him with the gun to disable him. 

The attack occurred at 11:57 p.m., minutes before Nov. 20, which is observed as Transgender Day of Remembrance. This day commemorates transgender people who have been killed because of anti-trans violence. 

Frankie Miranda, the President and CEO of the Hispanic Federation, issued the following statement on the attack:

“As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am heartbroken and outraged by this senseless act of gun violence. Hispanic Federation mourns those who lost their lives in Colorado with all communities and families that have been left reeling after similar acts of violence, and we hope those who were injured have a quick and safe recovery. While we are still gathering the details of this attack, one thing remains certain: the lives of our communities continue to hang in the balance as we wait for lawmakers to pass common sense gun reform. Six years after the Pulse nightclub massacre, we are reminded yet again that the few spaces LGBTQ+ community members have to find solace in the face of hate are not safe.” 

“Public spaces will only be safe when our elected leaders act with urgency. Now is the time for comprehensive gun reform so that we can rein in unfettered access to guns that people use to inflict hate and harm on others. But our work does not end there. We need to put a stop to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that stigmatizes our community and leads to violent hate crimes. Instead, our leaders should advance legislation that embraces our community - such as the Equality Act - that would create full protections from discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals. Only then will our communities truly feel safe and free in our country.”

The Hispanic Federation is a national nonprofit that “seeks to empower and advance the Hispanic community, support Hispanic families, and strengthen Latino institutions through work in the areas of education, health, immigration, civic engagement, economic empowerment, & the environment.”

Miranda became the organization’s President and CEO in 2019 and is the first gay person to serve in this role. Under his leadership, the organization launched the Advance Change Together (ACT) Initiative in June 2022. This initiative supports organizations that serve the Latinx LGBTQ+ community. 

Miranda is the not the only leader who has called gun reform and discrimination protection in the wake of the attack. In President Joe Biden’s statements on the shooting and for Transgender Day of Remembrance, he also called for gun reform and for Congress to pass the Equality Act. 

Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who is the country’s first openly gay governor, said in a statement, “This is horrific, sickening, and devastating. My heart breaks for the family and friends of those lost, injured, and traumatized in this horrific shooting.” 

He thanked the patrons who subdued the gunman and the first responders and added, “Colorado stands with our LGTBQ community and everyone impacted by this tragedy as we mourn together."