Join us and celebrate B.C.'s LGBTQ shining stars

It's Pride! A time to celebrate B.C.'s wonderfully diverse and vibrant LGBTQ community.

To commemorate the occasion, CBC British Columbia is shining a light on people who are making a difference and inspiring positive change in B.C.'s LGBTQ community. 

The selected individuals - nominated by peers, colleagues and community members - demonstrate resilience, strength and commitment to the LGBTQ community. Now it's their time to proudly shine in the spotlight! 

Check out all of the inspiring Proud to Shine profiles below! 

Harmony Bongat | New Westminster

In Vancouver, we have so many ways for LGBTQ people to engage with one another: sports, history, theatre, drag, improv, board game nights, movie nights, camp-outs, hiking groups and an active queer night life scene. We create and demand spaces where we can be not only queer, but also lean into being ourselves. I am proud of the diversity of my local LGBTQ community. 

I celebrate myself and the community by adorning myself in the most queer clothing and accessories I can find. I love meeting new people and when I'm covered in rainbows, it gives people a reason to engage with me, and I love that! I spread queer joy as often and as far as I can. 

I'm inspired by my ability to take up space in a white, heteronormative world as a proud Filipino, disabled, queer woman. And I recognize that I'm only able to do that because others have shown me the way.

Looking forward, I'm hopeful that people will continue learning, and unlearning, that which is needed in order to stop harming us, and I'm hopeful that my son will have a life where he doesn't have to fight as often and as hard as I have had to.

Jessie Anderson | Vancouver

Vancouver is such a large city, and has such an enormous LGBTQ population to match! That comes with an incredibly diverse range of perspectives and opinions, but most folks I've personally spoken with in the community have been very eager to learn new ideas and connect with new people. I'm proud of Vancouver's LGBTQ folks because they are courageous enough to be constantly challenging themselves.

I think of my work at Big Bro's Barbershop as being a celebratory form of community service, akin to drag performers; I provide a refuge for LGBTQ folks where their aesthetics, their love, and even their clichés and tropes are celebrated. Queerness itself can be really fun!

I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to work under Jim Deva and Janine Fuller for four years before launching my business. Jim taught me so much about how to demonstrate leadership and Janine taught me how to see the absolute best in everyone who crosses your path. I'm blessed to have their wisdom guiding me.

I hope we see even more trans folks creating space for one another in the workforce. It's always so exciting to see other trans-owned businesses and trans people in positions of power within their field.

Ashton O'Brien | Kamloops

As the president of Kamloops Pride Society, what makes me the most proud of the local LGBTQ community is their resilience in a conservative town with no dedicated queer spaces. 

I celebrate the Kamloops LGBTQ community through advocacy. While I love celebrating during Pride Week and enjoy the culture via drag shows, queer performances and art, I think there is still so much work to do and I want to drive positive change so myself and my community can be acknowledged and celebrated for what we bring to the table, whether in our personal or professional lives.

Anyone who lives their life being who they are inspires me. This includes doing what they love and taking up space; loudly and unapologetically.

In the year ahead, I hope to help create more visibility, more allies, and more safe spaces for the LGBTQ  community in Kamloops.

Christopher Leopold Boreland | Vancouver

What makes me most proud of my local LGBTQ community is our ability to create safe spaces. Whether it's a party, a book club, or a cooking club, I've found that those who hold the space work hard to make their "family" feel safe at all times. 

I celebrate myself by being authentically me in all aspects of life. For example, with my Jamaican patty company Elbo Patties I've created a work environment that celebrates my culture and allows me to be myself, while doing the same for others who share the same background. 

The people that inspire me the most would be the wonderful team I work with at AfroQueer; a local non-profit that Nya Lewis, Dj Nea and I started back in 2019 that holds space for black queer folks of the African diaspora. Every Pride Sunday and Christmas holiday season we host events for our community to unwind, reconnect and enjoy each other's presence. 

What excites me most about the future is seeing the continued growth of Elbo Patties and AfroQueer and continuing the work of community building. I look forward to seeing the fruits of our labour flourish through more community focused events, conversations and connections made.

Skye Wilson | Prince George

People in the LGBTQ community try to live as authentically as possible, and it's important we celebrate ourselves for that. I do this by embracing both masculine and feminine expression. I believe that showing a fluid style of expression invites the unlearning of traditional gender roles.

I'm inspired by our queer and trans ancestors and my Indigenous ancestors. They have survived and thrived by holding and supporting each other. I hope I have the same impact for future generations.

I am so proud of the progress the LGBTQ community has made in Prince George. Our queer and trans community is growing and is so important to those of us who come from rural areas. I hope Prince George becomes more inclusive of two-spirit and gender-diverse folks, and I can't wait to see what the future holds!

Norma Lize | Vancouver

In my job at Rainbow Refugee Society and being a trans refugee myself, I am deeply connected to Vancouver's LGBTQ community. I am most proud of our resilience and solidarity, our willingness to share space, and our commitment to stand hand-in-hand to fight for those in need.

I celebrate myself and my community by reminding myself and others that the work that we are doing is very important. Generations before us worked so hard for what we have now, and we need to continue the work for the generations to come.

I am inspired by all the trans refugees who left everything behind and decided to risk it all and move to another country, often with zero connections and not speaking the language. They came here and stood up for themselves, fought for their rights, and supported other people to be safe.

I miss seeing people in person, gathering with community members, and sharing spaces together. I'm looking forward to this year's pride parade and the love that we will be receiving.