Today is the first day of in-person early voting in Florida, and Pulse survivor Ricardo Negron-Almodovar is doing his part to mobilize LGBTQ voters.
Negron-Almodovar, who is a first time voter, appears in a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) ad where he urges the LGBTQ community to get to the polls.
"You have to vote. Let your voice be heard," he says in the 30-second spot, which is also available in Spanish. "Every issue that we face has a root at the political level, and we are a force to be reckoned with if we organize."
While Negron-Almodovar does not mention any specific candidates in his 30-second ad, the slate at the end of the video reads "Vote for Hillary Clinton on Nov 8th."
Negron-Almodovar was one of the survivors of the Pulse attack on June 12, which took the lives of 49 people and injured dozens who were at the Orlando gay club that night.
“People like Ricardo are a reminder that despite this horrific attack, our community will never be silenced or defeated. We must continue to stand up and ensure our voices are heard. The most effective way to do that is at the ballot box this November,” HRC President Chad Griffin said in a statement.
In a longer video, Negron-Almodovar discusses the shooting at Pulse Nightclub and shares his story about the events of that night.
The "Ricardo" videos are part of the Human Rights Campaign's effort to reach pro-equality voters in Florida, which is just part of the nonprofit's initiative to mobilize LGBTQ voters across the nation.
