Orlando Students Pen Single to Aid Those Affected by Pulse Nightclub Shooting

Wendy Geller
·Writer, Yahoo Entertainment


Full Sail University students Omar Maldonado, Tim Asunmo, Sophia Pun, Nadif Cadet, and Josh Davis first met at a songwriting club on campus. Immediately following the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando on June 12, Davis and other students set out to find a creative outlet to express their feelings. What was supposed to be a creative exercise, turned into “Together We’re Strong,” a masterful piece that purely captures the raw emotion of coping after a loss.

Yahoo Music is pleased to debut the song in honor of Giving Tuesday, along with a short documentary which explains the single and its importance.


“In today’s heightened concerns post-election, ‘Together We’re Strong’ couldn’t come at a more opportune time. The song speaks a lot about the things going on in the world today, inspired by the Pulse Nightclub shooting but expands far beyond that tragedy,” notes Josh Davis. “The song is a tool to teach people how to love again, how to unite during hard times, and not fight. It is an anthem to show people that differences are okay, and it is all right to be divided but we all must live together in unison.”

The group partnered with Heart of Florida United Way, which operates the Orlando United Assistance Center (OUAC)–100% of the proceeds generated from the song will be donated to the Orlando United Assistance Center. Although the songwriters decided to release the song for free, they have a goal to raise over $5,000 and are asking for a minimum donation of $5 per song download for OUAC to provide on-going support to those directly impacted by the incident. You can download and donate here.

“The Pulse tragedy rocked our community to its core. It takes all of us, united, to begin the healing,” explains Heart of Florida United Way Chief Marketing Officer Ashley Blasewitz. “We applaud these Full Sail students on sharing their creativity and talents to not only assist those directly impacted through donations, but also the healing of our community as a whole through this powerful song.”