Image Credit: CFJC Today
PRIDE WON'T HIDE

Peace for Pride Gathering at Riverside Park on Saturday

Oct 15, 2021 | 5:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Saturday (Oct. 16), the community is invited to gather at Riverside Park for Peace for Pride — an event meant to show support for a trans youth who was attacked in the city in September.

The gathering is scheduled to start at 3:00 pm at the Rotary Bandshell at Riverside Park. It will feature several speakers and a march through downtown Kamloops. Organizer Tre Rhiness says when he heard about the attack, he needed to do something to show his support.

“We saw the article online about the transgender teenager who was attacked on the North Shore in September,” Rhiness tells CFJC Today. “It brought up a lot of feelings from my past, growing up as a queer person. I needed to do something to show that this community won’t stand for that.”

Rhiness says he’s been surprised by how much attention this event received since he posted it to different social media platforms. He also believes that the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Kamloops is looking for a reason to gather safely since the pandemic has caused the cancellation of pride events for the past two summers.

“Kamloops Pride is standing behind it, the TRU Pride Club. There’s been lots of support. It’s been a couple of years of not much going on. And restrictions are kind of eased off a little bit right now. We made sure we’re following those restrictions still.”

For more information, visit Peace for Pride Gathering on Facebook.