City of St. John’s Celebrates Pride Week

In anticipation of Pride Week, City of St. John’s inclusion staff, along with the NL Public Libraries and Memorial University’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team have been working on a number of initiatives aimed at creating supportive and inclusive programs and services for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. 

For example:

• City staff have worked with Dr. Julie Temple Newhook of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador on best practices for supporting gender diverse individuals in summer camp environments, specifically around gender disclosures.
• City programs have adapted the NLESD’s Safe and Caring Schools Policy Procedure 7 – Guidelines for LGBTQ Inclusive Practices into program procedures.
• Recreation staff are trained to support gender and sexual diversity in recreation programs to reflect current best practice around terminology, pronoun use, gender neutral washrooms and gender related disclosures.
• Recreation facilities and program spaces include posters from Child and Youth Advocate Office which state ‘This is a Positive Space that Welcomes and Supports Everyone’. 

The city is actively collaborating with community partners at NL Public Libraries and the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Memorial University to take a collective impact approach to fostering diversity during pride week, and throughout the year. 

Representatives from Memorial University and the Inclusion Advisory Committee will attend today’s City Council meeting (July 12, 2022) to celebrate and raise the profile of St. John’s Pride Week, which is being celebrated from July 15-24.

The City of St. John’s promotes the acceptance and inclusion of all individuals regardless of economic status, national or ethnic origin, religion, culture, body size, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or ability.
 

ID: Recreation counsellor Nathan reads “Jack (Not Jackie)” by Erica Silverman to summer camp participants at Paul Reynolds Community Centre in anticipation of upcoming Pride Week celebrations.

ID: Celebrating Pride, recreation counsellor Mackenzie reads “My Momma, My Mommy, My Brother, and Me: These Are The Things We Found by the Sea” by Natalie Meisner with summer camp participants at Kenmount Terrace Community Centre.

ID: Recreation counsellors Hannah and Erica are proud to show that Kilbride Lions Community Centre is a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space where everyone is welcome to come and play.

ID: Senior recreation counsellor Emily opens conversations about all different kinds of families as she reads, “A Family is a Family is a Family”, by Sarah O’Leary as part of the Pride Week celebrations at Southlands Community Centre.

ID: From left to right, Mayor Danny Breen is joined by TJ Jones the 2SLGBTQIA+ representative on the City’s Inclusion Advisory Committee, Cherry Ralhan-Khanna Program Manager Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism Memorial University, Dr. Delores Mullings Vice Provost Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism Memorial University and Vanessa Bambrick, City of St. John’s Inclusion Coordinator (Community Services).