Pride has come to St. Albert with an event at Lions Park today, and it has come none too soon, according to organizers and supporters.
Pride has come to St. Albert with an event at Lions Park today, and it has come none too soon, according to organizers and supporters.
“I guess it's taken quite awhile,” laughed Tim Osborne, one of the co-ordinators behind today's afternoon celebration and St. Albert Pride Week as declared by Mayor Nolan Crouse at the start of the week.
That moment during Monday's city council meeting was a pretty big deal, noted Terry Soetaert, another of the co-ordinators.
“It just gives us a whole lot more credibility. Everybody knows that there are LGBTQ people here and there is a lot of support. We're just looking to get those people together in one place and show everybody that this is here, and it's real.”
“This is the first time we've ever officially had a St. Albert Pride Week declared. It's really the first official Pride event that we've held. I think it's overdue. If we're going to promote ourselves as an inclusive community then we need to demonstrate that,” Osborne continued.
“That's what this was about. We don't want to have to tag onto Edmonton. We want to do our own event. I think we can build something here in our community so that they can feel that they can be part of something big here and they don't necessarily have to leave the community to get the support that they're looking for.”
While the barbecue effectively ties in to Edmonton's much larger Pride Festival, it also becomes the centerpiece to the St. Albert Pride movement.
Anyone can drop by between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Lions Park. There will be free food and drinks, a resource table and entertainment including Jessy Mossop, Damien Dorris, Jake Perry, Andrea Mchenry Band and Nikolai the Magician, plus a special guest appearance by someone who is advertised on the organization's website at www.stalbertpride.ca as an “entertainment legend.”
Fun and activities aside, it serves a broader social purpose of establishing the importance of inclusion and acceptance in terms of gender identity and sexual orientation. It will also do much to demonstrate the struggle that many of this city's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, including many youths, have experienced.
To illustrate those struggles, numerous members of OutLoud St. Albert have written their stories out on posters that will be posted at the picnic for all to read.
“These are the youths' stories or pictures that they feel portrays the LGBTQ in general or their actual stories. Some of them have been brave enough to write their whole story out with their name on it and they're willing for us to post it up there,” Soetaert explained.
His daughter Mia mentioned that many of her friends have shared their stories through these posters. They tell of bullying and harassment leading to mental health issues.
She agrees that St. Albert Pride is a huge moment for everybody.
“I've gone to the Pride Parade for the past four years. Finally seeing something in our community means we're making change. That's a big deal.”
All are hoping to see attendance of 150 to 200 people at the park for the family-friendly event.
“I'm hoping that this year is just the start of something bigger. We've already heard from some surrounding communities who want to be a part of St. Albert Pride. It's really encouraging. It's the start of something big for our community,” Osborne said.
