So we may have to get together a little differently this year, we may have go virtual with the hope that next year we’ll be in person. But there’s also the understanding that Pride is more … we’re there in the community, we grow as a community, and we build as a community." –Barry Karlenzig Pride Winnipeg President “ Pride is seven days a week, 365 days a year.
we happened to need it this year,” says Karlenzig. “My first year as president, I didn’t think we’d be cancelling Pride … but to have the team we have, and to be able to be really agile and able to pivot at the drop of a hat, has been great.” Those abilities to adapt have come into play in other ways over the past year, Karlenzig says. As social justice movements exposing systemic ra- cism and police brutality gain prominence, Pride Winnipeg has stepped up efforts to engage with the larger community — in particular, members of socially marginalized populations. Such efforts already faced challenges — par- ticipation in community forums isn’t always an option for those who work nights or don’t have internet access — but communication post- COVID has proven even trickier. In response, Pride Winnipeg has reinstated key community engagement positions to its ranks, and has worked closely with groups such as Trans Manitoba, Two-Spirited People of Manitoba and Sunshine House to ensure “every voice in our community has a spot at the table, and every voice is heard.” The resulting talks have shed light on every- thing from parade accessibility issues raised by members of the 55-plus community to safety concerns that led to partnerships with Down- town BIZ and the Bear Clan Patrol. In his years working with Pride, Karlenzig says
he’s seen people grow more comfortable coming to him with honest feedback about the festival, in particular younger members of GSRD and other community organizations, whose bravery and commitment continues to impress him. “To see the younger generation and their pas- sion, I look back and think, ‘Was I that passion- ate at 22?’ " he says. “To see the work they’ve done and the conversations we’ve had, where they have no problem being the first to say, ‘I think Pride screwed up here … what can we do to make sure that doesn’t happen again?’ To have those conversations and hear that passion from the younger generation is why I do what I do.” Another reason Karlenzig does what he does? To make things easier for even younger genera- tions, in the hopes that kids like his seven-year- old nephew won’t have to face the same dis- crimination or identity issues he struggled with in his youth. One particularly cherished Pride memory suggests he’s on the right track. “Three years ago, just before the parade started, a bunch of students came running up to me and gave me a giant hug. They were from the very first-ever junior high GSA (Gay-Straight Alli- ance),” he recalls. “They said, ‘Because of you, we can be who we are today.’ I was crying before the parade even started.”
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NIKI ASHTON Member of Parliament Churchill–Keewatinook Aski 1-866-669-7770 niki.ashton@parl.gc.ca
LEAH GAZAN Member of Parliament Winnipeg Centre 204-984-1675 Leah.Gazan@parl.gc.ca
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