The Canmore Pride Society was incorporated on August 12th, 2021 by a number of individuals hoping to start a community for Queer people who resided in the Canmore and the Bow Valley area. The group initially came together in early May while restrictions were still in place in the region due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, however, and members of the Canmore Pride Society jumped at the opportunity to form an official organization and host a Pride festival for everyone to enjoy.
Though annual Pride festivals and ongoing events have been established in Banff and Morey, Pride events were few and far between in Canmore. Many people had said how much this town needs more Pride events or even a Pride Parade and it’s surprising for many that Canmore didn’t have an official society already set up long before. The Society is so excited to have finally come together to bring Pride to Canmore in 2021 and to establish the groundwork for future growth in programming, events and support services for the Canmore and Bow Valley Queer community.
In its inaugural festival, the Canmore Pride Society has been extremely overwhelmed with the amount of local support they have received before even going public to help achieve the Society’s mission of establishing visibility, inclusiveness and education.
MISSION
The Canmore Pride Society has been established to create a community for LGBTQ2S+ Canmore residents and visitors where they feel safe, accepted and welcome. The Society focuses on creating events and advocate for spaces that establish visibility and allow inclusivity for those of all ages across the Queer spectrum. Our purpose is to educate allies and to appreciate the history of our community, all whilst celebrating the freedoms we have today.
VALUES AND OBJECTIVES
The word ‘Pride’ is used to describe a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements. Canmore Pride Society recognizes the achievements of Queer elders and allies ver the decades to bring us where we are standing today. We recognize the actions and advocacy of those at Stonewall in 1969; we give our gratitude to the prominent figures who fought for and continue to fight for the rights of our community.
Not only do we have pride in our communities roots, we also have pride in ourselves, who and how we love, and how we identify and pride in LGBTQ2S+ values across all cultures and nationalities. We believe that to love whoever you love is a basic human right that we all deserve.
As our community celebrates the level of diversity and inclusion we experience today, we also recognize that there is still a great amount of work to be done. We believe that education alongside inclusion will help to build a community of trust and collaboration. We strive to continue to develop programs and frameworks to further promote safer environments in every setting -be it in the workplace, in schools, in healthcare and in community events.
We welcome allies and supporting businesses who strive to educate themselves and implement policies that create authentic safe spaces for service users and employees. Our vision is to represent people across the entire Rainbow Spectrum and to connect members of the Canmore community who identify as Queer or those who may be questioning their sexuality in a safe, respectful environment.
EXTERNAL WEBSITE
Canmore Pride Society, 2021
