Arts & Entertainment
MTV’s ‘True Life’ to air episode on Orlando survivors
special follows four individuals who survived the tragedy

(Screenshot via MTV)
MTV documentary series “True Life” will air “We Are Orlando,” a special focusing on the aftermath of the June 12 Pulse nightclub shooting.
Tony Marrero, Patience Carter, Tiara Parker and Joshua McGill are four of the survivors from the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, which claimed 49 lives and wounded 53 others. According to MTV, “True Life” will follow these individuals as they deal with the physical and psychological damage the tragedy caused them.
Marrero, 32, is recovering from being shot four times, including once in the back. While he struggles with the pain of rehab for his wounds, he also must confront his emotions about losing his best friend Luis Vielma, 22, who was killed in the shooting.
“I’m still connected to a machine because of my back; I have a hole in my back. My arm is still shattered,” Marrero says in the trailer. “I’m not okay and that’s only physical.”
Carter, 20, and Parker, 20, were visiting Orlando from Philadephia. They lost their cousin Akyra Murray in the shooting, the youngest person murdered at the club at the age of 18. Carter and Parker are starting therapy to cope with the loss of their family member.
McGill, 26, saved the life of Rodney Sumter, a bartender at Pulse. MTV says “Joshua crafted a tourniquet out of his shirt to stop the bleeding in both of Rodney’s arms.” McGill then laid underneath Sumter, a father of two, in the back of a police car to squeeze his back and constrict blood from another wound on the way to the hospital.
Exclusive interviews and footage of the LGBT community in Orlando will be released on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Tumblr leading up to the premiere.
“True Life: We Are Orlando” airs Aug. 15.
Celebrate the start of Pride month at the Queer Magic Dance Party at the Black Cat on Saturday, June 6. Doors open at 9 p.m.
There will be pole performances and demonstrations, a free photo booth with glitter bar, a queer vendor market, tarot readings by Skye Marinda Tarot, a drag performance by Sapphica, and dancing to a blend of smooth R&B, Afrobeats, hip-hop and pop by Slammer & Saba. Tickets are $20 at the door or $15 (plus fees) in advance, purchased here.
Local queer journalists will celebrate Pride this weekend at the annual NLGJA-DC Pride Happy Hour event at Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.) on Saturday, June 6, 3-5 p.m. Admission is free.Â
Out & About
DC Front Runners Pride Run 5K set for Saturday
Annual event held at historic Congressional Cemetery
The 14th annual DC Front Runners’ Pride 5K run/walk is set for Saturday, June 6 at historic Congressional Cemetery. The race starts and ends at the cemetery (1801 E St., S.E.) and passes through scenic D.C., along the Anacostia River trail and the fields at RFK campus. Registration ends Friday at 11:59 p.m.
Runners can pick up their race packets on Saturday from 7-8:30 a.m. at Congressional Cemetery; the race begins at 9 a.m.
The fee to run the 5K in person is $65 ($35 for those under age 20). Proceeds benefit local LGBTQ nonprofits, including Thrive DC, Wanda Alston Foundation, Blade Foundation, Ainsley’s Angels, SMYAL, and Team DC. Visit DCFrontRunners.org for more information.
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