During my recent visit to Winnipeg, I was treated to an invite to the Rainbow Resource Centre (serving Manitoba's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and two spirit communities) with Brother Chris Gagne. The ideas flowing from that facility are awesome, while their library and archived electronic files (past posters, magazines, etc. that didn’t survive the elements) are shining examples of where our movement should continue to move.
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is coming along nicely - more glass than steel girders now – and, when completed, will feature a display on GLBT issues/history.
I would like to collect pieces of our own GLBT history right here in the Prairies to contribute to the museum's collections. Check your closets and see what you could bring forward to donate to the Pride cause (ie. buttons, magazines, posters, articles, pictures) of any past pride items you have. We can catalogue it, film it and archive it and return it to you if you wish. Also, please include a description of what the items meant to you (ie. a picture of your first pride parade that you were not “afraid or embarrassed” to attend).
On the darker side, of course, we need to include a history of what did happen to each and every one of us that was bad experience, and how we as individuals overcame those obstacles. Our younger generation needs to learn from our mistakes, triumphs and perseverances, or they will have to re-live them again and again. Let’s really dig deep and put pen to paper and build up a “living” timeline of what our Pride Human Rights struggle is all about – my wish is to build a timeline from 1967 to present to put into our national archives.
I hope to hear from all of you. Pride & Solidarity for all.
Timothy J. Hunt
GLBT Representative, Prairie Region Council
Do you know of any members who are GLBT or allies? If so, please ask them to contact me directly to be included on this and other GLBT related e-mails.