Lighting Orlando Purple: turning awareness into action

On the evening of Wednesday, October 14, Orlando City Hall glowed purple. Inside and out, more than 100 people gathered for the 5th annual Lighting Orlando Purple, a Domestic Violence Awareness Month event hosted by our partners at Nuevo Sendero.

Esperanza United President and CEO Vivian Huelgo, J.D., was honored to deliver the evening’s keynote. The room brought together representatives from state, city, county, and local government, educational institutions, media, corporations, health care, and faith communities. Most powerfully, survivors shared their own stories, reminding everyone present why this work matters.

From awareness to action

This year’s message was clear: awareness is only the beginning. Lighting a building purple is a symbol, but real change happens when the people in that room go back to their agencies, classrooms, congregations, and workplaces ready to act. That means listening to survivors, investing in culturally specific services, and building communities where everyone can live free from violence.

Vivian shared what the evening meant to her:

“To be in community with advocates, many of whom are volunteers, who are enthusiastic, dedicated, and so passionate about uplifting survivors of domestic violence was energizing to me personally,”. “Nuevo Sendero leads the same way Esperanza United leads, in partnership with survivors and allies to support survivors. Our support of Nuevo Sendero is long-standing and cuts across capacity building, research, legal, and training. It made me so happy to join them for their signature 5th annual Lighting Orlando Purple event at Orlando City Hall.”

Honoring 17 years of community leadership

For 17 years, Nuevo Sendero has worked alongside Hispanic survivors and families in Central Florida, offering domestic violence and sexual assault support, legal assistance, healing through art and community, and education rooted in prevention. Their work is exactly the kind of community leadership we’re proud to amplify.

Thank you to Nuevo Sendero and Dra. Diana Mejia for the invitation and the recognition, to the City of Orlando, and to every advocate, faith leader, and neighbor who showed up. Together, we’re turning awareness into action.

If you or someone you love needs support, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 in English and Spanish at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. You can also find help here!