Anita Stallion is in her 25th year of performing drag throughout Canada & The United States. She’s a double crowned Monarch of the Imperial Court of Winnipeg which has allowed her to help raise tens of thousands of dollars for local charities. She’s Club 200’s Matriarch and a proud member of the Bannock Babes.

Alex Appleby has been an outstanding role model for our 2SLGBTQIA+ community. In order to create an inclusive space for all students, they advocated for pride flags to be displayed in their school and when met with resistance, they persevered; advocating not just our local small school but for all students throughout our entire school division. They are the primary person for their schools GSA, welcoming to everyone and organizing school wide activities to educate and promote awareness of issues facing 2SLGBTQIA+ people in our community. Alex helps create a safe space for everyone to be themselves, and because of Alex’s efforts and tireless advocacy our school community is a much more welcoming and safer place for all students. Alex is a fierce activist and role model for all our 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Rainbow Resource Centre, Canada’s longest running queer and trans community centre, is celebrating 50 years of 2SLGBTQ+ identity, advocacy, and community. In May, the Centre relocated to 545 Broadway Ave. as construction continues on Place of Pride, a complete queer campus that includes Canada’s first affordable housing for 2SLGBTQ+ older adults, developed in partnership with Westminster Housing Society.

Rainbow provides a spectrum of support for Manitoba’s 2SLGBTQ+ community. Anchored by the Youth Program and Over the Rainbow Program (55+), the Centre offers free short-term counselling, nine volunteer-led social support groups, the Trans ID Clinic, Camp Aurora, classroom and GSA education/outreach, and diversity and inclusion training and consultations for workplaces.

This Pride season, Rainbow has partnered with many local organizations to host events for all ages. Be sure to subscribe and follow Rainbow on Facebook or Instagram, to stay up to date on the many ways to ensure Rainbow continues to support Manitoba’s 2SLGBTQ+ community..

zoma Asagwara is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse, Addictions Specialist and former member of the Canadian National basketball team and in 2019 made history as the first Black, Queer, Gender Non-Conforming person elected to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly and across Canada.

Uzoma has been a long-time advocate alongside newcomer and refugee communities, two spirit and LGBTQIA+ folks, youth and grassroots organizations.

Uzoma celebrates the voices of Indigenous, Black and people of colour unapologetically taking up space, and encourages youth to be true to themselves, use their voice and be the change they want to see.

They are proud to be the MLA for Union Station, a diverse and eclectic constituency with folks from a variety of backgrounds and cultures.

Helping to carve a path for future generations in spaces that traditionally have not been welcoming to Black and LGBTQ+ communities.

The work Uzoma has done and is committed to, is done alongside incredible community members, mentors, advocates and activists who make all of our communities a better place.

Since debuting at the 2005 Winnipeg Pride Parade as ‘Ugly Pridemaids‘, this dynamic bearded drag duo has come a long way! They’ve marched in Winnipeg’s and Toronto’s Pride Parades for 10 consecutive years, bringing their energy and colourful costumes to the streets.

They returned in 2017 to celebrate Winnipeg Pride’s 30th Anniversary and this year they are returning to celebrate Canada Pride! They’ve incorporated everything from Astroturf to kiddie pools into their outfits, which, despite their fabulousness, never conceal their unshaven faces and overall undisguised manhood.

It’s no secret that year after year, many curious people attended Pride just to see what they were wearing!

Launched in 2018, PRISM is an innovative mentoring program designed specifically for the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Winnipeg. The first of its kind in Manitoba, the PRISM program matches children and youth who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ with an adult mentor who also identifies as 2SLGBTQ+ for a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Through regular outings, the match will foster a friendship that is supportive, empowering and fun.

The program has since expanded to include a group mentoring program in which 2SLGBTQ+ youth have a safe and supportive space to discuss and unique experiences queer youth face. Through group activities, facilitated discussions and outings in the community, we have worked to create a comprehensive support system for our gender and sexually diverse youth.

Furthermore PRISM now offers a series of educational workshops with the goal of helping our young people be confident and proud of their identity, help families and guardians understand what their child is experiencing, and to better equip our mentors on how best to support 2SLGBTQ+ youth.

We’re proud that our PRISM program is managed by staff identifying as 2SLGBTQ+, mobilizing 2SLGBTQ+ volunteers, all to mentor 2SLGBTQ+ youth right here in our city.

Peetanacoot Nenakawekapo (Winnie Sunshine) is Anishinaabe of the Ojibwa Nation from the Wolf clan. She is a Two-Spirit person and a Trans woman from Skownan MB, residing in Winnipeg. She’s proud to have been at the first Winnipeg Gay Pride in 1987 discrimination caused some to attend Pride with a paper bag over their head for fear of judgement and consequence, but Peetanacoot chose to represent without a disguise. Since then Peetanacoot has been in countless marches, parades, rallies to support gays, Indigenous, and women’s rights to say invocations to offer solidarity and sings and drum. Peetanacoot volunteered her time visiting people living with HIV/AIDS in hospitals. Some had no family members to visit HIV patients and they were happy Peetanacoot visit them. At first Peetanacoot was scared of HIV patients but that didn’t stop her from spending time with PHAs. She likes to keep people company and share stories with humor. Also, she continues to visit family and friends and people living with HIV/AIDS who are in the hospital.

Peetanacoot has been living with HIV for over 28 years. She was inspired by her husband Gordon who passed away from HIV-related illness in 1999. Gordon encouraged Peetanacoot to be an active in community-based HIV education and prevention. She continues her work doing speaking about living with HIV. Peetanacoot has been involved in her Indigenous culture over 30 years. Winnie has been participating in and leading Sweat lodge ceremonies, Vision quests and is a Sun dancer. She is proud to have had 18 years dancing in Pow Wows, attending many Two Spirit gatherings was crowned International Two Spirit Princess in 2002 at 14th Annual International Two Spirit gathering. She encourages youth and supporters of Two Spirit people to be part of the gathering. Peetanacoot feels empowered by her community and empowers others by volunteering with people living with HIV for over 30 years.

Locally, Peetanacoot is proud to be involved with numerous local and national Organizations. You might bump into Winnie at places like Nine Circles, Like That Drop in, and Aboriginal Health and Wellness Center. She is a Pipe carrier and a hand drum keeper. Humbly she is recognized as an Elder in the community. Award recipient of Grandmother’s 17th Annual Keeping the Fires Burning. She has adopted 5 daughters and a son who she’s very proud of. She was part of Vision Quest 2 living with HIV making a Medicine bundle. Trans Pulse committee as the Elder of the Research project. She welcomes others be part of the Sharing circles, Healing circles, Pipe ceremonies and feasts to honor all seasons, smudging, Indigenous singing and drumming just to name a few. Peetanacoot conducts Sweat lodge ceremonies welcomes everyone as long as they are accepting and respectful. Peetanacoot does things wholeheartedly and enjoys doing the ceremonies in a good way.

Janelle Campagne est une activiste LGBTQ*. Elle est très fière de représenter plusieurs communautés comme la communauté francophone, les Métis et les femmes. Étant la présidente de son alliance LGBTQ* au Collège Louis-Riel, elle est une modèle pour plusieurs jeunes dans sa communauté scolaire, car elle démontre plusieurs qualités de leadership, de la résistance dans plusieurs situations difficiles et elle accueil toujours les gens avec son grand sourire.

Janelle fait partie de plusieurs initiatives pour sensibiliser les gens sur la diversité en travaillant avec des organismes à buts non-lucratifs, en parlant à divers publics et en s’engageant au groupe musicale Mishiwayitay. Elle est passionnée et dédiée à donner une voix au groupes minoritaires qui ont beaucoup à dire mais qui ne se font pas entendre.

Brielle Beardy-Linklater est une femme bispirituelle, transgenre et queer de la nation crie Nisichaweyasihk. Elle défend les intérêts des 2SLGBTQ+, des autochtones, des pauvres et de ceux et celles de la classe ouvrière. En 2014, elle a aidé à organiser les premières célébrations de Pride North of 55 dans le Nord du Manitoba.

Lors de la Journée internationale de la femme tenue en 2017, elle est devenue la première transsexuelle à occuper un siège au Parlement du Canada lors du programme Héritières du suffrage. Elle est une combattante dans l'âme et suit ses connaissances et pratiques traditionnelles. Elle est passionnée par sa politique et croit qu'il faut tirer des leçons de l'histoire et les appliquer à notre présent et à notre avenir.

Janine est une jeune poète de 17 ans. Elle aime écrire sur le féminisme intersectionnel, les questions portant sur la communauté LGBTQIA* et la durabilité environnementale. Elle est passionnée par les arts et la plateforme accessible qu'ils peuvent fournir pour l'activisme. Dans son temps libre, elle est membre du cabinet du Parlement jeunesse franco-manitobain, une simulation parlementaire annuelle francophone ayant pour but d’encourager les jeunes à développer un intérêt pour le débat et la politique. Elle a également fait partie de l’alliance gais-hétéros qui a organisé le rassemblement I Have to be Me. Janine a récemment participé au festival de films sur les droits de la personne élaboré par l’Association manitobaine des droits et libertés, à une aventure sur les droits de la personne organisé par un club Rotary et à l'événement It's Ok to Rant, lequel a été tenu lors de la Journée internationale de la femme.

Janine a eu l'occasion de présenter ses poèmes lors d'événements organisés par des conseils scolaires, de conférences visant à promouvoir le leadership des jeunes et de la collecte de fonds pour l’alliance gais-hétéros de l'Université de Saint-Boniface. Elle est très honorée de représenter la jeunesse au festival de la Fierté de cette année. La participation des jeunes aux célébrations de la Fierté est essentielle, car elle nous permet de sensibiliser les gens à une histoire qui n'aurait pas été racontée. En nous rassemblant, nous reconnaissons que, même en période de célébration, les jeunes doivent être conscients des progrès réalisés et de la responsabilité qui leur incombe pour assurer le progrès à l'avenir.