Pride Winnipeg

PRIDE MAY 24 – JUNE 2 10 MANITOBA PRIDE ALLIANCE CREATES BY JENNIFER MCFEE It's now easier than ever for Pride organizers to share resources and knowledge, particularly in rural and northern communities across the province. The Manitoba Pride Alliance launched in January thanks to provincial funding provided to Pride Winnipeg last year in an effort to bolster 2SLGBTQ+ community initiatives. Jenn Rands, vice-president of advocacy for Pride Winnipeg, is also the newly appointed chair of the Manitoba Pride Alliance. She says it's been a longtime goal of Pride Winnipeg to create this group, which is the first of its kind in Canada. "The purpose of the Alliance is to bring together all the rural and northern Prides in the province and to give the organizers somewhere to share resources and knowledge," she says. "There is also a funding aspect of it, so we have grants within the Manitoba Pride Alliance that try to prioritize growing the Pride movement in Manitoba. Priorities go to communities or grassroots organizations that are putting together Pride celebrations for the first time and in rural or remote locations." The Alliance meets regularly to chat and share information about what's happening across the province. "One of the concerns this year is community safety," Rands says. "There are some communities in Manitoba that have some unique security concerns, and we're looking to work together to address that." CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 Photo by Darcy Finley JENN RANDS IS THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF ADVOCACY FOR PRIDE WINNIPEG AND THE CHAIR OF MANITOBA PRIDE ALLIANCE. COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

• Cover