After a highly successful year, with 2018 Pride weekend being one of the biggest yet, Capital Pride is shaking things up with a big change to their administration.
Community leader, LGBTQ2 activist, and public servant Davy Sabourin has just been announced as the new chairperson of Capital Pride, just in time for the 2018-19 season. With his established background in public service and his role as Capital Pride’s Community Relations Officer, Sabourin has a good grip on what the Ottawa community wants out of Pride and has the skills to bridge the gap between individuals and the greater Ottawa community.
Aside from his work in government, Sabourin also has experience in the mental health sector, previously working as a counselor. Sabourin’s first-hand experience with these issues is to expected foster even more inclusion and diversity in Capital Pride engagements and initiatives as LGBTQ2 youth with mental illnesses or dealing with addiction are often the most vulnerable in our communities, but their voices are often silenced in the mainstream LGBTQ2 activism dialogue.
Though just appointed co-chair, Sabourin has already made great impact in the organization, having recently formed the Capital Pride Youth Committee (CPYC). Over the last year, the CPYC has proven to be a vital and vibrant branch of the organization– getting young people actively involved in important areas of Capital Pride’s mandate such as policy advocacy, community engagement and much more.
As Capital Pride continues to grow, and further cements itself as a staple organization in the city, the Ottawa community is proud to see it continuously become more inclusive–bringing a more diverse mix of voices to the table in terms of sexuality, race, gender-identity, age and social background. Sabourin’s appointment looks to be a very positive and promising direction for the organization.