Surrey Schools celebrates Pride Month through June

June is Pride Month, and students and staff across Surrey and White Rock have been participating in numerous LGBTQ2S+ events and initiatives to promote inclusivity and welcoming environments for people of all backgrounds, identities and orientations.

Pride is an opportunity to highlight the diversity of students and staff in the district and emphasize the importance of acceptance through SOGI-inclusive education and safe spaces for members of the LGBTQ2S+ community in schools.

This month, a number of schools have held various events:

• The Clayton Heights Secondary Pride Alliance Club raised $116 for QMUNITY, a non-profit organization that supports queer, trans and two-spirit people with resources.
• The Pride Alliance Club also celebrated the start of Pride Month with numerous events, including drawing with sidewalk chalk, giving out friendship bracelets and serving rainbow waffles for breakfast. The first week of June culminated with a schoolwide Pride Parade, with students encouraged to wear rainbow coloured clothing.
• The Fraser Heights Secondary library put a spotlight on Pride with numerous decorations and book recommendations for June.

While Pride is centred on the month of June, students and staff make efforts throughout the year to support LGBTQ2S+ inclusivity. The district’s Racial Equity department’s Equity, Diversity & Belonging Calendar highlights observances such as LGBTQ2S+ History Month (October), the Transgender Day of Remembrance (Nov. 20), the Transgender Day of Visibility (March 31) and the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia (May 17).

Earlier this month, the district once again co-hosted its Youth Pride Dance, in partnership with the City of Surrey and Youth for a Change. Held at the Newton Seniors Centre, the dance provided an opportunity for youth aged 13 to 18 to have fun and express themselves freely.

The district’s fifth annual Pride Poster Contest was also held this spring, with more than 100 elementary and secondary students submitting their colourful creations on the theme We Have Always Been Here, inspired by the novel of the same name by Samra Habib about finding her identity as a queer Muslim woman.

Schools across Surrey and White Rock continue to support inclusivity during June and throughout the year, with symbols of Pride such as the rainbow flag serving to promote unity, equality and a commitment to diversity and respect.

The district’s Protecting Surrey Schools Together (PSST) and Surrey Schools One websites continue to have numerous SOGI resources for students, parents and staff.

Surrey Schools is also participating in this year’s Surrey Pride Festival on Saturday, June 28^th, and will take part in the Vancouver Pride Parade on Sunday, Aug. 3, with staff invited to sign up to walk in the parade. For more information on both events, visit surreypride.ca and vancouverpride.ca