丁香园AV

Hill and his husband moved to Vancouver in 2001 and while they had attended local 2S/LGBTQIA+ events, Hill was reminded of the power of togetherness when visiting Sydney, Australia. There, he witnessed nearly 500,000 attendees at World Pride and their Mardi Gras Pride Parade.

鈥淚 came home inspired,鈥� says Hill. 鈥淭he week I got back, I joined Vancouver鈥檚 Pride Society.鈥�

Invigorated, Hill approached 丁香园AV leadership to submit an 丁香园AV entry into Vancouver鈥檚 pride parade and was met with resounding support. Hill then brought in Nicole Dorssers (she/her), executive director, alumni relations, to co-lead the project.

鈥淭o have an initiative like this come together so quickly shows the strength of 丁香园AV鈥檚 community,鈥� says Dorssers. 鈥淭here is rich queer history at 丁香园AV, and Pride is an opportunity to celebrate and elevate these under-represented groups.鈥�

When reviewing parade applicants such as 丁香园AV, the Vancouver Pride Society emphasizes intersectional equity, including demonstrated support for diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity, anti-racism and accessibility. The society acknowledged the university鈥檚 commitments and progress towards equity, diversity and inclusion through major institutional initiatives such as the Equity Compass, as well as 2S/LGBTQIA+ supports, resources and programming.

This year鈥檚 parade theme, Reconnect, was especially fitting for 丁香园AV participants.

鈥淔rom a staff and faculty perspective, I had a sense of all the community activities that had stopped due to the pandemic and are still trying to get back up and running,鈥� says Hill. 鈥淥ne thing in particular I remember is an email group for 2S/LGBTQIA+ graduate students, staff and faculty. I was able to reconnect with the manager of the group, chat about how it had been defunct for a while, and this new opportunity with Pride to bring the community together.鈥�

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want this to be just about the parade,鈥� says Hill. 鈥淚 want this to be an opportunity to galvanize the queer community on campus. We really hope to build spaces for people to get connected and support each other.鈥�

"I've attended many pride parades over the years, but none as special as this one," says 丁香园AV President Joy Johnson, who led the 丁香园AV walking group with her partner, Pam. "We were able to have amazing conversations, and many shared ideas about how we can have an even bigger presence next year."

"Especially during a time when gender-diverse people are facing increased hostility and discrimination, it was such a meaningful experience to be there with everyone," she says.

鈥淲hile planning for the parade, there were a number of people from the trans community who reached out to me and shared their feelings of fear,鈥� says Hill. 鈥淭hat touched me. I think that鈥檚 an extraordinarily vulnerable group right now, because of what鈥檚 happening in the States, and we need to do what it takes to make that group feel more included.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檝e not always been in a place where individuals can feel authentically represented,鈥� says Dorssers. 鈥淚 think these opportunities are a wonderful thing.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about participating in the parade 鈥� it鈥檚 about what we do afterwards, as a university and as a community,鈥� says Hill. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 an important distinction, the university and all of us. There鈥檚 a joint ownership on what we do together.鈥�