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Red Deer Polytechnic raises Pride Flag

Central Alberta Pride Week is underway
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Red Deer Pride Society secretary-treasurer Corey King, Red Deer Polytechnic president Stuart Cullum and Students’ Association of RDP president Savannah Snow raise a Pride Flag at the post-secondary institution Monday morning. (Photo by Sean McIntosh/Advocate staff)

When Corey King was growing up, post-secondary institutions weren’t as welcoming and inclusive as they are today.

“It was the early 1990s and people were still in that scared state,” said King, who is the secretary-treasurer of the Central Alberta Pride Society.

“People are realizing we are here and it’s not a choice. That was the biggest misconception of those years. People believed everything to do with the LGBTQ2S+ community was a choice. It’s not. Why would we choose to be ostracized? Why would we choose to be bullied? We choose to be who we are.”

King was at Red Deer Polytechnic Monday morning to help raise a Pride Flag as part of Central Alberta Pride Week, which began Sunday with Pride in the Park.

READ MORE: Central Alberta Pride Week begins

A flag-raising event like this is important because “representation matters,” King said.

It’s crucial students know “they’re coming to a place that’s inclusive and they feel safe to be who they are and love who they love. By RDP doing this, they’re showing, ‘We welcome you, we love you, we are here for you,’” he said.

Stuart Cullum, who took over as RDP president last week, said he plans to be a champion for the inclusivity work that’s already happening at the post-secondary institution.

“There’s already an organic movement within Red Deer Polytechnic to be supportive of diversity and inclusion, and I completely support that,” he said, adding an environment of inclusivity creates a safe space for students to be who they are.

“If our students, faculty and staff can’t be who they are, it really impacts their performance and their mental health. We want to create an environment where people can be the best that they can be and can be themselves.”

In addition to the flag that was raised on Monday, a permanent Pride Flag was raised this past June.

Savannah Snow, Students’ Association of RDP president, said the permanent flag, which sits above the entrance of the school alongside Métis Treaty 6 and 7 flags, is “an amazing” addition to RDP.

“There have been many student leaders before me who have advocated for permanent flags to be on campus,” she said.

“Before we’d do this flag raising, it would stay up during the duration of Central Alberta Pride Week and then it’d get taken it down. I think it’s important to have these permanent symbols so students feel safe and welcome.”

RDP students deserve to feel included, Snow added.

“Visual symbols are only the beginning. I think there’s a lot more work to do in terms of inclusivity within the institution, but this is up front and centre,” said Snow.

“It lets (students) know as they’re coming through the front doors that they are welcome here, they are safe here and there’s a community here for them.”

For more information on Central Alberta Pride Week, visit www.centralalbertapride.ca.



sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com

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Sean McIntosh

About the Author: Sean McIntosh

Sean joined the Red Deer Advocate team in the summer of 2017. Originally from Ontario, he worked in a small town of 2,000 in Saskatchewan for seven months before coming to Central Alberta.
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