Happy Pride in our hearts!

We know Pride is a protest, started by trans people of colour who were experiencing violence, exclusion, and oppression - at the hands of the police, and at the hands of communities they grew up in, and at the hands of systems that erased, overlooked, and caused harm. This year, to honour the work of Black Lives Matter (BLM) Vancouver - and other BLM chapters - YouthCO will not be participating in events hosted by the Vancouver Pride Society.

At YouthCO, we believe that Pride is celebrated in our hearts. Through this Pride season, it is our hope that those of us who are LGBTQ+ are celebrated for who we are, are heard in our protest of police in Pride, colonization, gender oppression, racism, and other forms of violence, and that all of us are bold in our assertion that Black Lives Matter. We invite you to take a look at the statements from other organizations, like Rainbow Refugee and Check Your Head, who have also reconsidered their participation in Vancouver Pride given the continued presence of police and border guards despite Black Lives Matter's work.

This Pride season, we're participating in and supporting events led by community organizers and groups that recognize the explicit role of trans people of colour in founding and continuing Pride as a protest, and are creating spaces by and for QTBIMPOC to lead the way in protest and celebration. We hope you'll join us in celebrating Pride in our hearts while affirming that Black Lives Matter!