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Brandon Wolf shines a light on the Pulse nightclub shooting, gun violence, LGBTQ+ rights, and the power of speaking up after unimaginable loss.
On June 12, 2016, Brandon Wolf went to Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, with his best friend Drew and Drew’s partner, Juan. What began as an ordinary night out at a place where Brandon felt safe to be fully himself became one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.
Brandon survived. Drew and Juan did not.
In the years since the Pulse nightclub shooting, Brandon has transformed his grief into activism. Today, he is a nationally recognized civil rights and gun safety advocate, the National Press Secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, and the author of A Place for Us, a memoir about finding belonging, chosen family, and a place in the world.
In this deeply moving conversation, Brandon shares what it was like to survive the Pulse shooting, lose two of the people he loved most, and find a way forward without allowing violence to take away his joy.
We talk about:
- Growing up biracial and gay in a community where Brandon often felt like an outsider
- Losing his mother to cancer as a child and how she became his first ally
- The painful experience of being outed as gay in high school
- Moving across the country to Orlando and discovering chosen family and a sense of belonging
- His friendship with Drew, the clinical psychologist whose legacy continues to shape Brandon’s life
- What happened inside Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016
- Surviving a mass shooting and escaping the Pulse nightclub
- The devastating loss of Drew and Juan
- How trauma, grief, and survivor's guilt can change a person
- Why Brandon refused to let the Pulse shooting take away his ability to experience joy
- Turning personal tragedy into gun violence prevention and LGBTQ+ activism
- His work with Equality Florida and the Human Rights Campaign
- Testifying before the U.S. Congress
- The personal costs of speaking publicly, including harassment, lies, and death threats
- Why sharing your story can be both painful and healing
- Post-traumatic growth and turning pain into purpose
- The power of storytelling to change minds rather than trying to convince people to change
- Repairing his relationship with his father
- The importance of finding your people and building chosen family
- What Brandon wishes he had understood earlier about owning his power
- His advice for anyone considering whether to speak up and tell their story
- Why every one of us has the power to be a lifeline for someone who feels alone
Brandon's story is ultimately about much more than surviving a mass shooting. It is about refusing to let hatred, fear, or violence define the rest of your life. It is about the courage to be seen, the importance of community, and the possibility of transforming grief into purpose.
As Brandon says, the moral arc of the universe doesn't bend toward justice by accident. It bends because we make it.
If you or someone you know is struggling
This episode contains detailed discussion of gun violence, mass shooting trauma, death, and grief. Please take care while listening.
If this episode brings up difficult feelings, consider reaching out to someone you trust or a qualified mental health professional.
Connect with We the Sunlight
We the Sunlight is a podcast about the brave act of speaking up in a culture that too often rewards silence. Each episode explores what happens when people tell the truth, challenge silence, and use their voices to create change.
If you have a story you'd like to share, email wethesunlight@gmail.com.
Truth illuminates. Stories heal.
