About Pride Hamilton
Pride Hamilton incorporated in November 2018 and plans an annual event in Gage Park (following the success of Pride 2018). Pride 2018 was run by a group of local community volunteers who wanted to put on a large celebration in a central city park.
Our first official Pride as an organization took place in 2019 at Gage Park. Pride organizing in Hamilton has been happening since 1991. Pride will be celebrating 30 years of Pride in Hamilton in 2021.
Pride Hamilton does not define itself using traditional mission, vision, or values statements. While we will continue to support and stand with Hamilton's Two Spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities, the main focus of our organization is to plan Pride events in the months of May and June each year. We hope to expand this work as the organization builds capacity. Pride Hamilton gave a presentation at a Community Meeting on March 10, 2020 to let the Hamilton community know where we stand with respect to organizing for Pride 2020. Pride is planning a Community Meeting for early February 2021 and will be making an announcement about it in early 2021.
Our Board of Directors
Pride Hamilton appointed 5 new members to its Board and 2 new members to its Transition Board on December 8, 2020. These Board members will serve in their positions until the current Board term expires on October 31, 2021. Incoming members of the Transition Board will replace outgoing members in 2021. *Steph Adams is also a member of our Board (profile forthcoming).
KENDRA ALIU - she / her
Kendra is a trans activist born in Haiti. She is trilingual in English, French and Creole, with a passion for international law and human rights. She has worked closely with the current executive director of United Caribbean Trans Network and is dedicated to providing psychosocial support to those in need. She has worked on the vote yes campaign in the Bahamas, a campaign designed to grant gender equality rights under the Bahamian constitution. Kendra has worked with the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). She is a published author and has written her autobiography entitled First Lady.
Board member since December 2020
STEFF BISHOP - they / them
Transition Board - Outgoing
Born and raised in Hamilton, Steff has a passion for community and enjoys helping to bring people together to reach common goals. As a queer-identified artisan/maker, Steff has been an active organizer of events to highlight marginalized artisans. They are one of the founding members of Pride Hamilton.
Board member since November 2018
YARA EL SAFI - she / her
Yara is a queer, Muslim, Lebanese visual artist, performer and educator. Living in downtown Hamilton, she is currently running the workshop "Self-Portrait for Self-Care" through Sitelines to provide free programming for people who have the lived experience of mental health and addiction. Her visual and performance work are based on storytelling from imagined and created queer Muslim ancestors. Yara is part of the programming committee for Hamilton Artist Inc. and is committed to provide space and opportunity for the LGBTQ BIPOC individuals of Hamilton.
Board member since December 2020
TANYA HENDRIKS - she / her
Tanya lives and works in Hamilton and identifies as a queer femme. She joined Pride Hamilton’s Board of Directors in its inaugural year has helped coordinate and plan
Hamilton Pride events since 2018. She was previously a contributing member of Halton’s Organization for Pride Education (HOPE) and was actively involved in several Pride events in
Burlington. Tanya chairs the Burlington Chamber of Commerce’s Health and Wellness
Committee and sits on several smaller local committees that share a wellness component. She also captains the Hamilton Titans Dragonboat Team. Her areas of interest are mental health and Indigenous rights and in her free time, she likes to hang out in art galleries or read, preferably by the lake.
Board member since November 2018
KIEL HUGHES
As a Hamilton-area native up to this point in his life, Kiel has seen many changes and witnessed many ups and down, however, he feels there is still a lot of work to be done, a lot of things still need to be improved. His road to social activism started when he was cast on TV show; the impact he had on people pushed him to continue on this path. With a firm belief in equality, equity, anti-racist, anti-oppression, and human rights, Kiel has a desire to see and feel change. As a drag performer, Kiel uses drag as an outlet to help get his point of view across, to bring people together, to bring a smile to faces, and to encourage broadened thinking.
Board member since December 2020
CAMERON KROETSCH - he / him
Transition Board - Outgoing
Cameron is a proud resident of Ward 2 in downtown Hamilton and an advocate for safe, liveable, affordable communities. He's currently the Chair of the City of Hamilton's LGBTQ Advisory Committee and a member of the Governing Council at the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion. He's a sometimes writer, avid SoBi rider, and passionate about transparent local government. Cameron works in finance in the labour relations field and was the former President of CUPE Local 3913 at the University of Guelph.
Board member since November 2018
MATTHEW LAROSE - he / him
Transition Board - Incoming
A long-time advocate for social justice and equity, Matthew holds a diverse background in outreach, campaigns and community development. An avid cyclist and hiker, he has called Hamilton home for over a decade, with brief stints in Toronto. Matthew holds a Master of Arts from the McMaster-Guelph Public Policy and Administration program. He currently works for a national health charity in the areas of strategic planning, reporting and evaluation. Matthew is committed to making Pride Hamilton sustainable in the near and long-term future and ensuring that the board’s priorities reflect the ideas and values of Hamilton's diverse LGBTQIA+ communities.
Board member starting in 2021
CHELSEA MACDONALD - they / them
Chelsea is a gender non-conforming community activist who utilizes their experience of neurodivergence to help break down barriers and stigmas. Chelsea has experience working on the front lines with vulnerable populations, as a political activist, and in community organizing. Chelsea first became involved in their community after a sexual assault in high school left them disillusioned. They experienced empowerment by becoming involved as a crisis line volunteer with the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area (SACHA). They continued to volunteer within the community and are a proud Hamiltonian.
Board member since December 2020
THOMAS SIMPSON - he / him
Transition Board - Incoming
Thomas is Director, Public Affairs and Advocacy at the CNIB Foundation. He brings several years of experience in government and stakeholder relations and has built impactful, grassroots campaigns. Thomas has worked for the Government of Canada, where his work focused on policy research and analysis. He is a member of the Lupus Canada Board of Directors, where he chairs its Advocacy Committee. Thomas graduated from the University of Ottawa with an Honours BSc in Political Science and History. He is currently working towards a Graduate Certificate in Public Relations through the University of Victoria. Proudly from Hamilton, Thomas is making his way back to his hometown, with his partner DG. Thomas enjoys going for a run and a good glass of wine.
Board member starting in 2021
KAITLYN TOLCH - they / them
Kaitlyn is a queer artist born and raised in Hamilton, and currently lives in Ward 14. Kaitlyn has previously received education at York University and is currently a student at the Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U) where they are in the process of completing a BFA in Creative Writing and a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Kaitlyn is also a part of the Hamilton Youth Poets core team where they are working as a Teaching Artist and strive toward mastering their own craft, as well as elevating young voices. Kaitlyn has also been trained in active listening. They are also fond of poetry, colour coding, reading, hair dye, baking and thoroughly enjoy walks with their dog, Scraps. Kaitlyn is hoping to help shape a bright future for Hamilton.
Board member since December 2020
TERRI WALLIS - they / them
Terri has been deeply involved in both the disabled and queer communities since moving to Hamilton in 2000. As a disability rights activist, they sat on the City of Hamilton's Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities for over 13 years. As an activist in the queer community, Terri has been both a previous speaker at Pride, before joining the Board, and a vendor at Pride 2018 and 2019. Terri is a member of the City of Hamilton's LGBTQ Advisory Committee and has been involved with the Metrolinx Accessibility Advisory Committee, Disability Justice Network of Ontario, speqtrum Hamilton, and Hamilton ACORN. Terri is also an artist, creating queer-themed artwork as Zombieart by Terri, and a wheelchair boxer and member of the Canadian Wheelchair Boxing Association Board of Directors.
Board member since November 2018
