pride 2026: thank you!
Hey y’all!
As I reflect on today’s Pride events, I am completely overwhelmed with gratitude for just how many people showed up in so many different ways for our communities. I’m not even going to try to name them all. Please know that whatever role you played today, big or small, whether you were helping out, performing, or simply showing your support, I appreciate you more than you could possibly know.
Today, over 2500 people showed that Pride absolutely belongs in the Pembina Valley. SO MANY PEOPLE!! I spoke with a few people today who told me they were surprised by some of the faces they saw. One person said they had said to the person, “I’m surprised to see you here!” to which the person responded, “I’m here to show people what a Christian community is supposed to look like. They’re going to be talking about it at coffee for the next week and I want to be able to say ‘no, I was there and that isn’t how it was.’”
This is how minds get changed. This is how we spread love.
For those who weren’t able to be there in person this year, or those who may have missed it, this is my last Pride month as Chair. With this being my last year, I’ve been able to do some reflecting on the incredible growth we’ve experienced as an organization since we started. I’ve been on the board since we first started up in 2019 and had our first pride in Morden. Our event has grown a lot since that one, and our organization has grown with it. This growth is thanks to you—the people who keep showing up in our communities.
Every supportive action goes a long way to making people feel safer to exist here, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
I reflected on this when I spoke today, but I want to share this story here, too. One of my favourite memories of Pride happened in Altona a couple years ago. There was somebody there who was trying to give pamphlets to children, which is obviously a super weird thing to do. In came an older couple, asking him a ton of questions, really engaging him in conversation about whatever it was he was wanting to say. By the time he realized what happened, pretty much everybody had started on the march. I’m not sure how many people were protected by this action, but I know it made a huge difference. Every time I think about it, it brings a smile to my face. That is love in action.
There have been countless moments like this, at our events and outside of them. It doesn’t have to be a big confrontation. It can be as simple as a look that communicates that certain jokes aren’t okay to make in front of you. It’s these little moments, added up over time, that make the Pembina Valley a safer place to be.
Running this organization for the past 5 years has been an honour and a privilege that I have never taken lightly. I have loved seeing people coming together through the fantastic times, like what we’re seeing here today, and the resilience and community during the less than fantastic times that we’ve seen in the past. I’ve been lucky to get to know so many wonderful people throughout my time, and have seen firsthand the impact we have had. I couldn’t be more proud of the work we have done as an organization, and I look forward to seeing what happens next.
When we first started 8 years ago, Pride in Winkler felt like an impossible dream. Today, we accomplished something that is a really big deal. I know I’ve said it so many times in this post, but I really want to emphasize how grateful I am for the opportunity to do this.
I hope you had a wonderful time today and made some beautiful memories. I hope you were able to share in the love and joy that was palpable throughout the event. I hope you went home with the knowledge that you are an important part of our communities. If you weren’t able to attend our event, for whatever reason, I hope you know that you are also an important part of our communities.
Today, we took up space.
Today, we made it undoubtedly clear that Pride belongs in the Pembina Valley.
What a beautiful journey this has been.
Always remember: you are valid, important, worthy, and so so so loved, exactly as you are.
kat 💜