The mission of Capital Pride / Fierté dans la Capitale is to create opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Canada’s capital region, on the unceded and unsurrendered land of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people. Capital Pride is committed to reflecting the perspectives of the communities we serve.

As we navigate into new territory for the 2022 Capital Pride Festival we have a reinvigorated focus to create community connections and bring forth festival programming that will benefit the National Capital Region’s 2SLGBTQ+ communities. For this reason we have conducted a community consultation process to gather input from 2SLGBTQ+ community members and organizations in order to:

1. assess how beneficial, accessible, and enjoyable Capital Pride’s events and initiatives are to 2SLGBTQ+ people in Ottawa and Gatineau;
2. identify areas of the festival programming that need improvement, especially within the focuses of family programming and BIPOC programming;
3. assess the impact and assess any concerns in regards to potential locations for the 2022 Capital Pride Festival; and
4. explore new ideas and opportunities that will contribute to its mission.

This report will summarize the input gathered from the online survey and outline the steps that Capital Pride will be taking to incorporate, with its finite resources, the feedback and ideas from the community and local 2SLGBTQ+ organizations.

The first three sections describe the methodology we employed (‘What We Did’), the groups who participated (‘Who We Heard From’), and the results of the survey (‘What We Heard’). The final section, ‘What We Will Be Doing’ outlines the future commitments Capital Pride is undertaking to improve its events, relationships with communities, organizations and accessibility. The survey questions are also included at the end of the report [Appendix 1].

Capital Pride remains committed to community outreach and engagement with 2SLGBTQ+ communities. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to complete our survey and offer their insights to help guide Capital Pride’s planning process for the 2022 festival. Engaging with community partners is a continuous process and we shall continue to reach out, engage in conversations and listen to the diverse voices of the National Capital Region’s 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

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Operations Team Recruitment

Team Leads help to plan and execute various parts of the Capital Pride Festival. Team Leads are part of the Operations Team and report to the Executive Director. A group of Festival Week Volunteers will be assigned to many of the teams.  

Team Leads will volunteer approximately 10-20 hours a month, with additional hours in the immediate lead-up to and during the Festival. Organization wide team meetings take place monthly and include all team leaders. Team Leads must be available throughout Festival Weekend (August 26 – 28, 2022). 

Current Opportunities: 

• Family Pride Team
• Fundraising Team
• Parade Team 
• Pageant Team 
• Street Fair Team
• Accessibility Team
• Artist Relations Team 
• Food & Beverage Team
• Media Relations Team 
• Social Media Team 
• Stage Manager (Community Stage) 

Interested in joining the team? Please complete our application form and submit a resume here. The deadline to apply is July 6, 2022 although applications may be reviewed as they are received.

1-1 virtual appointments, sign-up via Calendly: Link Here

Additional questions? Contact [email protected] 

Kindly note that Festival Week Volunteer positions will be posted June 13. Sign-up here to receive more information about festival week volunteers and to be notified once the positions are posted.

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Ottawa community members are the ongoing targets of hate speech, hate crimes, and harassment from participants in the downtown Ottawa convoy. As disruptions continue throughout downtown Ottawa, there continues to be reports of community members being the target of hate speech, hate crimes and harassment. 

Ottawa’s Centretown has a long and proud history of being a home for LGBTQ activism and community. Today, residents are afraid to leave their homes, and have been subject to intimidation and harassment for displaying the pride flag in their homes and in their neighbourhoods. When residents do walk their streets, they are faced with homophobic and transphobic slurs and signs. Even online, Ottawans have been the target of harassment. These troubling events occurred alongside widely reported incidents of harassment, racism, anti-Semitisim and other troubling and violent conduct.

As a consequence of the ongoing disruptions, front-line community organizations — including health services — have had to limit services or suspend operations. We recognize this has a profound impact on 2SLGBTQ+ people as well as all residents and community members.

Demonstrations that allow such hateful conduct to go unchecked have no place in our city. 

There is nothing peaceful about homophobia and transphobia, racism, xenophobia, or anti-Semitism. There is nothing peaceful about the forced closure of front-line health centres and community services. There is nothing peaceful about schools, vaccination clinics and city services having to close. There is nothing peaceful about the emotional and psychological impact of being harassed in your own community.

Those who live, work and learn downtown deserve to feel safe and supported in their own community. Individuals should have access to health care services and front-line community services. Families should have access to childcare and schools.

It is time to restore peace in our City.

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This February, Capital Pride is proud to present Queer, Trans, Black and Proud a month of programming that celebrates and honours the Queer and Trans Black community. The programming is being organized in recognition of Black History Month. 

A variety of events will take place each week including a panel discussion featuring a Black leader within the 2SLGBTQ+ community;  a youth art workshop in partnership with the Ottawa Art Gallery;  a night of music, drag and performances; a keynote event with Canadian writer and activist Kim Katrin Milan; and a performance by Canadian artist Desiire as part of the NAC’s Friday’s at the Fourth. Further details and a full line-up of events is online at capitalpride.ca.

Recognizing the evolving nature of COVID-19, we anticipate some events will be delivered virtually while it is hoped that events later in the month will be delivered in a hybrid format. All programming will align with public health guidance and details will be shared in the lead-up to each individual event.

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This year, Capital Pride received support from Bilingual Ottawa’s microgrant and today we are pleased to update the community on accomplishments achieved thanks to this funding. The Bilingual Ottawa grant allowed the Capital Pride Festival to increase its linguistic accessibility by expanding programming and delivering events bilingually.

In particular, the grant supported:

• Simultaneous interpretation and captioning of 3 panel discussions and 1 keynote presentation (from English to French).
• The development of a panel discussion focused on gender-diverse francophone perspectives within the 2SLGBTQ community, which was also simultaneously interpreted and captioned.
• The creation of a bilingual children’s colouring book. 
• The translation of marketing materials and web content.  

The project’s programming engaged 2,400 people directly and reached over 24,500 indirect participants.

“The support of Bilingual Ottawa has been crucial in helping Capital Pride to deliver important programming in a more linguistically accessible way, while also highlighting the particular perspectives of French-speaking members of the National Capital’s 2SLGBTQ+ community,” said Francesco MacAllister-Caruso, Capital Pride’s Director of Francophone Affairs. “Bilingual Ottawa’s investment into our community-based projects has helped to strengthen our city’s bilingual character and continues to play an invaluable role in creating a more inclusive community, in line with Capital Pride’s mission.”

“ACFO Ottawa and the Bilingual Ottawa program are honored to have supported the bilingual initiatives of Capital Pride and help community based initiatives create their own space. It is important for us that all communities are represented in the language of their preference,” said Patrick Pharand, Bilingual Ottawa Program Manager.

About the Bilingual Ottawa Grant

Bilingual Ottawa is a microgrant funded through the federal government’s Canadian Heritage Action Plan for Official Languages and is administered in Ottawa by the Association des communautés francophones d’Ottawa.  38 projects received support through the program, including Capital Pride. For more information please visit https://acfoottawa.ca/bilingualottawa

About Capital Pride

Capital Pride creates opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. The 2021 Capital Pride Festival took place August 23-29. For more information, please visit www.capitalpride.ca. 

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Capital Pride welcomes the Government’s commitment to finally ban conversion practices. Conversion practices cause serious harm, perpetuate stigma and have been widely discredited. In recognition of the serious impact of conversion practices, any legislation to ban these practices must be comprehensive in scope, provide funding and support for survivors and include a public education campaign.

This summer, Bill C-6 which banned conversion therapy died when Parliament was dissolved. Following the election, Capital Pride, along with 100 other organizations, signed onto No Conversion Canada’s Community Call to Action, calling on Parliament to ban conversion practices and support survivors. 

The Call to Action provides a detailed set of criteria that the legislation must address. It is available here: /bit.ly/3bqMh0r 

Absent from the Throne Speech was a commitment to end the discriminatory blood ban. We welcome recent news that Canada Blood Services has announced it will seek regulatory approval to move from a discriminatory screening process to a behaviour based approach. However, we will continue to work with the All Blood is Equal coalition to push for an end to the blood ban without further delay. More information about the campaign is available here: www.allbloodisequal.ca

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Ottawa, ON – Capital Pride is pleased to announce that it will host drag superstar Priyanka in Ottawa on Thursday, November 18 as part of her Taste Test Tour, promoting her new album Taste Test.

Capital Pride has taken on the event, with proceeds going to the organization. The show was cancelled by the original promoters, but will now go on, on the same date, with tickets available through capitalpride.ca, and at the original location, Bronson Centre Music Theatre.

“Capital Pride is pleased to be able to bring Priyanka to Ottawa and share this amazing show with our local community,” said Toby Whitfield, Executive Director of Capital Pride. “In line with our commitment to the local drag community, we are also excited to provide an opportunity for local drag performers to share the stage with this iconic performer.”

“We are thrilled to host Priyanka and the local drag performers at Bronson” said Lisa Zbitnew, co owner of the venue.  I’ve had the opportunity to see her perform, and Ottawa is in for a very special treat.  We hope to do many more drag performances here and support the community and the local drag talent. It’s been a tough 2 years for all performers, and we look forward to adding to the vibrant local Ottawa scene”.

“My new album has just surpassed 2 million streams and I am so excited to celebrate in Ottawa with my iconic fans,” said Priyanka. “Ottawa is so special to me! I’ll never forget playing Capital Pride before I was even on Drag Race. This event is going to be a full scale concert experience that benefits Capital Pride. I can’t wait!”

This newly announced show will go on sale on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 through www.capitalpride.ca. The tickets for the original show have been refunded through Eventbrite and a new ticket purchase is required for this show.

Priyanka is the winner of the first season of Canada’s Drag Race. In July, Priyanka released Taste Test and is now touring across North America and Europe.

Event Details:

When	Thursday, November 18, 2021
Where:	The Bronson Centre Theatre
Time:	Doors open at 7:00pm Show from 8-10:30pm
Featuring:	Priyanka Hosted By Kiki Coe, with performances by Kimmy Couture, Ben Dover, Saltina Shaker, Shea D. Ladie and Devona Coe With a live viewing of Canada’s Drag Race, Episode 6
Tickets:	Tickets go on sale at noon on Tuesday, November 9 at capitalpride.ca. The show is general admission. Ticketholders with tickets to the original show will need to repurchase tickets at capitalpride.ca.

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There is no place for hate within 2SLGBTQ+ communities. More than ever, we must work together to confront bullying and harassment and all forms of oppression, including transphobia, homophobia, racism, sexism, ableism, xenophobia, or otherwise. 

The conduct of Yaya Torres and Haus of Torres is unacceptable. Capital Pride is not currently working with either party and we confirm we will not be working together in the future. 

It has also been made evident that our 2021 Ms. Capital Pride, Babe Kelly, has engaged in unacceptable behaviour rooted in racism and transphobia. This conduct fails to meet the communities’ expectations of a Capital Pride titleholder and violates our code of conduct for pageant contestants and winning titleholders. 

Today, Capital Pride met with Babe Kelly and accepted her resignation as Ms. Capital Pride 2021. While this is a serious decision, we believe the consequences reflect the severity of the current situation and that the outcome is inline with Capital Pride’s mission to respect the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. 

This week’s news also demonstrates that these issues were not isolated. In the coming weeks, we are committed to working with the local drag community, event organizers and establishments, and community groups to develop an awareness campaign that seeks to confront hate within our spaces. We will also support the drag community as they seek to create positive change and address some of the underlying issues that have come to light over the last few days. 

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October 1, 2021 • OTTAWA, ONTARIO
It is with a mix of sadness and gratitude that the Board of Directors announces Osmel B. Guerra Maynes departure as Executive Director of Capital Pride. Osmel has played a critical role in the development and success of the organization, and while we will miss him and his inspiring leadership, we wish him the best of luck in his new endeavour as the Director of Community Engagement, Social Programs, and Inclusion at HQ Toronto, a centre of excellence in gay men’s health, providing tailored mental health services, sexual health services, and community/social programming.

We want to thank him for his dedicated service, which involved many significant accomplishments. Some of his most notable achievements include the execution of Capital Pride’s Strategic Plan 2021-2023, successfully increasing and diversifying the organization’s revenue, launching incredible virtual programming throughout the pandemic, and amplifying BIPOC and marginalized community members.

During this transition period, it is our priority to find the best individual to lead, while still maintaining a stable and effective organization. As such, the Board of Directors is committed to engaging in a recruitment process to find Capital Pride’s next Executive Director. Until a new Executive Director can be recruited, Toby Whitfield has graciously agreed to return to the helm of the organization on a temporary basis. Toby is very familiar with Capital Pride, having served as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors and as the Festival Director for the 2019 Summer Pride Festival. We are confident that Toby will be able to ensure a smooth transition and lead the organization into success while we search for a permanent Executive Director.

Again, we cannot thank Osmel enough for the dedication, passion, enthusiasm, and motivation he has given to Capital Pride. Osmel will be greatly missed by the staff, Board members, and partners alike. We look forward to following the success of his career and are hopeful and excited for the next chapter of Capital Pride as we continue to support 2SLGBTQ+ communities within the National Capital Region.

Any questions regarding this transition process can be forwarded to Geneviève Colverson, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, by email at [email protected].

About Capital Pride
Capital Pride creates opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Canada’s national capital region. For further details please visit capitalpride.ca.

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Capital Pride issued the following statement in response to an apparent act of vandalism of the Rainbow Crosswalk on Bank Street:

Hate-motivated acts of vandalism have no place in our community.

Today’s news that the rainbow crosswalks at Bank Street and Somerset Street appear to have been vandalised overnight is deeply troubling. While the incident continues to be investigated, it follows a disturbing trend of vandalism of pride symbols – and particularly of rainbow crosswalks – across the country, including in Wasaga Beach, Gananoque, Vancouver, Lethbridge, Nanaimo, Prescott, and Barrie.

As we reflect on the many important discussions taking place this week, it remains important to recognise that members of the the 2SLGBTQ+ community have long been victims of violence, as have Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, immigrants, religious groups and many others. This act reminds us of the need to continue to challenge and resist all forms of oppression, including homophobia and transphobia, wherever they may arise.

The theme of this year’s Pride celebrations, We Still Demand, is meant as both a reminder of the work that remains to be done to achieve full equality for 2SLGBTQ+ people in Canada, and a call-to-action for community members and allies alike to take a stand when they witness these types of hate-motivated incidents.

As the community joins together to celebrate the 2021 Capital Pride Festival, we remain committed to our efforts to build a more inclusive community.

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Capital Pride is pleased to announce plans to host its TD Spectacular event in-person on the Great Lawn at Lansdowne Park. The event is all ages and takes place Sunday, August 29, 2021 from 3:00pm – 10:00pm. It will include a mix of live and virtual performances, a beer garden and food trucks. The event will be smaller than recent in-person Capital Pride festivals, with limited capacity and COVID safety guidelines in place.

“We are proud to host this event and create an opportunity for the community to come together and reconnect after a challenging 18 months,” said Osmel B. Guerra Maynes, Capital Pride Executive Director. “While Pride has never been cancelled, we recognize the challenge of creating community with virtual programming and are excited to invite folks to celebrate in person with us this year while we look to a bigger event in 2022”

TD Spectacular will be hosted virtually by Priyanka, Canada’s Drag Race Winner and includes live performances by DJ Sandy Duperval, Kiki Coe and Adrianna Exposee, and virtual performances by The Peptides and Vales of Bollywood. Further performers will be announced in the coming week.

Capital Pride has developed a COVID safety plan with guidance from local public health officials. Attendees will be required to complete a COVID screening questionnaire upon arrival and wear a face mask in high traffic service areas such as the bar and washroom facilities. Capacity at the event will be limited and social distancing will be in place throughout the site, with the public encouraged to make use of the large outdoor green space. Attendees must sign-up for free tickets, which will be available at capitalpride.ca starting Monday, August 16, 2021.

“We will be asking the public, volunteers, performers and vendors to all play their part in following our COVID wise plans”, continued Guerra Maynes.“At the same time, Capital Pride is continuing to offer a wide range of virtual events, recognizing that some folks may not be ready to celebrate in person.”

About Capital Pride
Capital Pride creates opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Canada’s national capital region. The 2021 Capital Pride Festival takes place August 23-29, 2021 and includes a mix of virtual and in-person programming. A full list of events and programming is available at capitalpride.ca.

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Ottawa, Ontario – Capital Pride is excited to bring you the 2021 Capital Pride Festival presented by TD Bank Group, taking place August 22 – 29, 2021. This year’s festival will include both virtual and in person, allowing participants to enjoy programming at home and outdoors. This year’s celebrations, themed “We Still Demand!”, honours the first large-scale queer rights demonstration in Canada that took place in 1971. On the 50th anniversary of the iconic protest, we remember all the voices that helped us achieve and enjoy the rights and freedoms we cherish today.

“Pride is not cancelled; Pride will never be cancelled! We are working hard to bring an energetic and educational Capital Pride Festival that celebrates what we have overcome as a community, while educating and advocating for the work that lies ahead,” said Osmel B. Guerra Maynes, Executive Director of Capital Pride.

The festival builds upon Capital Pride’s prior educational programming and includes panel discussions on a variety of issues facing our community. We are also excited to welcome Dominique Jackson, Star of FX TV’s Pose and Starz TV’s American Gods; Rodney Diverlus, a movement artist, performance-maker, artivist, and co-founder of Black Lives Matter — Canada; Danny Ramadan, a Syrian Canadian award-winning novelist; and jaye Simpson a two -Spirit Oji-Cree of the Buffalo Clan with roots in Sapotaweyak and Skownan Cree nation who often writes about being queer in the welfare system, as well as being queer and indigenous.

Our annual Parade will be presented virtually and aims to capture the energy that is expected of Pride. This event will be broadcasted on Rogers TV with Scarlett Bobo (Canada Drag Race finalist) and Ottawa’s very own Sandra from KISS 103.5 FM hosting the parade. In partnership with the United Way East Ontario and Gen Next, Community Builders Awards will be presented to 2SLGBGTQ+ Community leaders who have made an impact in our communities.

Capital Pride is proud to have curated a list of local and regional 2SLGBTQ+ artisans and community vendors that will be participating in our Virtual Queer Market. Delivered in an innovative 3D format, the market can be visited on any computer, smartphone or tablet.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Pride without some fabulous drag performers! This year we are thrilled to be providing opportunities to local drag performers as well as welcoming drag performers from across the country and around the world to our virtual stage. This year’s Pride Pageant features 11 competitors from the National Capital Region competing to be 2021 Capital Pride Royalty. The festival also includes a drag cooking show, drag bingo with Kandy Muse (finalist on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13), panel discussion about mental health hosted by 2020 Mr. Capital Pride Cyril Cinder.

Two in-person events are taking place. Our inaugural drag brunch will be hosted by La La Ri (Miss Congeniality & Contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13). The 2SLGBTQ+ Human Rights Vigil will return in person and centres 2-Spirit and indigiqueer voices. Further opportunities for in-person programming continue to be explored.

We also would like to thank our sponsors for this year’s festival. Presenting Sponsor: TD Bank Group; Champion Sponsors: Rogers Communications (Rogers TV, KISS 105.3 FM, CityNews 101.1 FM), Loblaws Inc., IBM, Narcity, Air Canada; Advocate sponsors: Giant Tiger, Vizzy Seltzer, ViiV Healthcare, Skip the Dishes; Unifier sponsors: Nokia Canada, KPMG, TJX Canada, Nordstrom, Point 3D; Supporter sponsors: FjallRaven, Ottawa General Hospital, The Bank Street BIA, The Home Depot, IKEA, Conseil écoles publiques de l’Est l’Ontario, The National Art Centre (NAC), The Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG)  and many more.

Visit capitalpride.ca/virtual-pride-festival/ to see what Capital Pride has in store for its 2021 virtual Festival. Stay tuned to the Capital Pride social media channels, as more exciting events and headline entertainers will be announced in the upcoming weeks. 

About Capital Pride:

Capital Pride creates opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Canada’s national capital region. The 2021 Capital Pride Festival takes place August 22 – 29, 2021.

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JUNE 14, 2021 ‒ Capital Pride’s mission is to create opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. As we reflect on Pride Month, we are reminded not only of the progress we have made so far, but also of the ongoing discrimination and hate that our community still faces, especially for those who experience other intersecting forms of marginalization.

Capital Pride stands in solidarity with all those fighting for equity and justice, and we join our voices to others in the community to demand better. Fifty years ago, pioneers of the 2SLGBTQ+ movement in Canada marched to Parliament Hill to present ten demands for legal changes and policy reforms to the federal government of the day, in what would become known as the We Demand protest. As stated in the document that these activists submitted to lawmakers, “in a democratic society, if one minority is denied freedom, all citizens are oppressed.” This continues to ring true today.

Fifty years later, despite progress made in protecting fundamental rights and freedoms, grave issues still persist. That is why the theme of this year’s Capital Pride celebrations, We Still Demand, is so incredibly important. We are proud to support the launch of the Capital Pride Youth Committee’s social media campaign, #WeStillDemand, to bring attention to the ongoing challenges facing 2SLGBTQ+ youth in Canada, while also advocating for solutions to issues like the discriminatory blood ban, ongoing conversion therapy, and a lack of accessible and transaffirmative healthcare, to name but a few.

Recent events across the country—including the tragic discovery of the unmarked mass grave of 215 Indigenous children at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School on the territory of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation; the horrific anti-Muslim terror attack in London, Ontario; the appalling gay-bashing incident in Toronto; a recent rise in anti-Semitic and Islamphobic rhetoric and violence across the country; transphobic posters being plastered across downtown Ottawa; ongoing anti-Black discrimination and unjust systems of over-policing; and a spike in anti-Asian hate crimes—show us how much work is left to do in order for us to achieve a truly just society.

While we encourage all community members, advocates and allies to add their voices to the growing calls for change, we also recognize that these events have been incredibly traumatic for many, especially those who see their identities reflected in the horrors we’ve witnessed in the past weeks and months. For those seeking support, here are some resources that may prove helpful:

• Indian Residential School Survivors Society crisis line (available 24/7): 1-866-925-4419
• Black Youth Helpline: 1-833-294-8650 or blackyouth.ca
• Counselling connect (same or next day mental health appointments)
• Jaku Konbit: (Black youth support group): 613-567-0600
• KidsHelp phone (available 24/7): 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868
• Mental Health Resource Guide, Ottawa Public Health
• Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO) with staff working remotely: 613-725-5671×316 or email [email protected]
• Ottawa Distress Centre: 613-238-3311
• Somali Centre for Family Services: 613-526-2075
• Youth Services Bureau (YSB) crisis line available 24/7: 613-260-2360 or chat.ysb.ca

Despite these difficult times, we will continue our march forward in the pursuit of justice and dignity for all. Though our identities and experiences may differ, our common liberation is rooted in the dismantling of unjust structures that maintain our marginalization. Together, we can celebrate our diversity in all its forms, while also advocating for equity in everything that we do – and that is something that we, at Capital Pride, promise to continue doing.

In solidarity,

Capital Pride

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If you believe in Capital Pride’s mission, if you share our vision for a truly just and equitable Canada, and if you want to contribute your time to help us achieve it, consider applying to our Board of Directors. We are seeking active members, especially of racialized and marginalized identities, to contribute their energy to continue celebrating, advocating, educating and connecting people within and beyond the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

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APR 06, 2021 • OTTAWA, ONTARIO

It is with great excitement that Capital Pride unveils the theme of this year’s celebration. “We Still Demand!, was chosen to honour the first large scale queer rights demonstration in Canada that took place in 1971. On the 50th anniversary of the iconic protest, we remember all the voices that helped us enjoy the rights and freedoms we cherish today.

Since the advent of the pandemic, Capital Pride developed a path forward for the annual festival making last year’s virtual parade a success, while adhering to all public health guidelines. Pride celebrations have always been a place of love, allyship and compassion, and we are confident that this year will be no different.

Presented by TD Bank Group, the festivities will take place from August 22 – 29, 2021, and will feature both local and international talent. Festival favourites such as the official Flag Raising, Our Voices Speaker Series, Capital Pride Pageant and of course the Virtual Parade, will continue to be delivered in new and innovative ways.

“Last year was a huge success! Although we still are not able to celebrate in person together, Capital Pride will still demand access, we still demand a voice, and we still demand love!”, said Osmel B. Guerra Maynes, Executive Director of Capital Pride.

We know that the annual summer festival is loved by many, and gives us a platform to celebrate the 2SLGBTQ+ community and our allies in the National Capital Region. Stay tuned to Capital Pride’s channels for more information on programming and events.

About Capital Pride:

Capital Pride creates opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Canada’s capital region.

Contacts:

Osmel B. Guerra Maynes, Executive Director

Phone: 613-680-3033 ext. 100

Email: [email protected]

Riyadh Nazerally, Director of Communications (Board of Directors)

Email: [email protected]

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The past year, in spite of all its challenges, has been a time of growth for Capital Pride. Through the past year, and especially in the last few months, the Board of Directors has been working very hard alongside the Operations team to develop a plan for its strategic direction in the coming months and years. Launching into 2021 has therefore been an exciting time for Capital Pride, especially the Board of Directors.

Capital Pride started the year with its Annual General Meeting in late January, which led to the nomination of a new Executive team for 2021. Having served as the Vice-Chair in 2020, Geneviève Colverson (she/her) was elected to the position of Chairperson and will serve in this position for 2021. Serving alongside her as the Vice-Chair is Victoria Wang (she/her), who previously served as the Director of Strategic Development. Jonathan Généreux (he/him) rounds out the current Executive in the role of Treasurer, in which he has been serving for the last several months. For more information about the members of the Board of Directors and the Executive team, please visit our website.

The Board of Directors also adopted its latest Strategic Plan for 2021 to 2023, that includes some ambitious goals and promises to continue to grow the organization with the needs of 2SLGBTQ+ communities in the National Capital Region at the forefront. Alongside this Strategic Plan, the Capital Pride Youth Committee has also launched its own Strategic Plan for the year ahead. To consult the Strategic Plan 2021-2023 and the Youth Committee’s Strategic Plan 2021, please visit our website.

In order to build on the past year’s growth and development and to implement the objectives identified in the Strategic Plan, the Board of Directives is seeking to grow its team of directors. The Board of Directors has also created a new position within the Executive team, for which it is now recruiting. The Equity & Inclusion Officer will be vital in ensuring that the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to the decisions made by the Board of Directors. If you are interested in joining the Board of Directors or for more information about the current opportunities, please see the postings on Charity Village: Equity & Inclusion Officer position and non-designated Director positions.

The Board of Directors is excited for what is to come and hopes the community will join us in continuing to celebrate, advocate, educate, and connect all members of our 2SLGBTQ+ communities!

About Capital Pride
Capital Pride creates opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Canada’s capital region.

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JANUARY 25, 2021 • OTTAWA, ONTARIO

To align with public health guidelines, the third annual WinterPride festival will take place online. Though there may not be opportunities to celebrate in person, we’re committed to bringing together the 2SLGBTQ+ community to celebrate our truth. Taking place from February 8-12 during Winterlude, the National Capital Region will be dazzled by virtual festive winter activities, performances, and much more.

“I’m thrilled to announce that the Capital Pride team has been hard at work – creating a great lineup that will be sure to put a smile across your face during these difficult times. WinterPride 2021 may be virtual, but we guarantee that you’ll be entertained!”

OSMEL GUERRA MAYNES, CAPITAL PRIDE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

WinterPride 2021 – Virtual Events

Start your engines racers, because WinterPride 2021 is bringing back our signature event, It’s Drag Henny hosted virtually by Bob The Drag Queen, Winner of RuPaul Drag Race Season 8 and Emmy nominated for her role on the HBO hit series We’re Here. This virtual show, featuring Ottawa’s drag royalty, will leave you gagged, gooped and asking for more.

Furthering our mission to create spaces for marginalized members of our community, we are excited to present Our Voices: Anti-Black Racism – A Black Queer Perspective speaker series featuring Rodney Diverlus (He/Him) and other BIPOC community leaders, Rodney is a Haitian-Canadian multi-hyphenate artist, artivist, and community activator. He is a founder of Black Lives Matter – Canada and a Director of Wildseed Centre for Art & Activism. He is author and co-editor of Canadian bestseller: “Until We are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter in Canada.”  

The week will also include a performance by Ottawa’s very own Kimberly Sunstrum. Already well-known in the local music scene, Kimberly’s unique blend of classic R&B, old-time country and 70’s Motown power bops is sure to soothe the soul.

Virtual Family & Youth Events

The Capital Pride Youth Committee partnered with Dress for Success to present FIERCE! Virtual First Impressions webinar. Tune in and learn how to stand out in a crowd, tips and tricks on how to find a job, and how to get noticed in a virtual world.

Youth can also participate in INStudio Winter Edition! a youth-focused art show featuring local 2SLGBTQ+ artists brought to you by the Capital Pride Youth Committee & the Ottawa Art Gallery Youth Council.

Last but not least, the whole family can get crafty with the Drag Family Hour hosted by non-binary Drag Performer and current Mx. Capital Pride Eve Anne Jellicle.

Capital Pride would like to thank our Champion Sponsor, Rogers and its affiliates Kiss 105.3, CityNews, Rogers TV and all other supporters for making this year’s festival happen.

Stay up to date on all the exciting WinterPride programming by visiting the Capital Pride Facebook page or capitalpride.ca. All events are free and can be streamed at capitalpride.ca/live. Event details will be announced in the coming days.

About Capital Pride

Capital Pride creates opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Canada’s Capital Region.

Contact:

Osmel B. Guerra Maynes, Executive Director

Tel: 613.680.3033 ext. 100

Email: [email protected]

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The Capital Pride Youth Committee (CPYC) is proud to present: Cafe au Gay, its first virtual coffeehouse, on January 29th, 2020! Prepare to be entertained by live performers while connecting with other 2SLGBTQ+ youth online!

The CPYC is seeking youth artists based in the National Capital Region to perform at Cafe au Gay. All kinds of performers are welcome, from drag, singing, slam poetry, or more! To apply, visit this link. Applications will be accepted until January 25th, 2020. All performers will be compensated with an honorarium.Limited spaces are available, so be sure to secure your spot!

We are committed to supporting and connecting with 2SLGBTQ+ youth in an accessible way. Tickets to Cafe au Gay will be available on Eventbrite at no cost. The CPYC is looking forward to connecting with the community on January 29th!

So curl up with a warm beverage and a blanket and enjoy the great youth talent we have in the NCR!
If you have any questions please contact Kaitlyn Chen.

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