Pride flag ascends at U of L

By Lethbridge Herald on June 21, 2022.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Executive director of equity, diversity and inclusion Martha Mathurin-Moe, Graduate Student Association president Lauren Zink, Student Union president Kairvee Bhatt and university president Mike Mahon, raise the progressive pride flag Monday at the University of Lethbridge.

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com

The University of Lethbridge kicked off Pride Month by raising the Progressive Pride flag Monday to celebrate campus diversity and inclusivity for the 2SLGBTQ+ communities. 

During a flag raising ceremony Monday morning at the SU Bus loop while braving the rain, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Lethbridge Mike Mahon said he was thrilled to be able to be part of the southern Alberta pride activities by raising the progressive pride flag on campus. 

“We know that raising awareness is only the first step and that there is so much more work to do in the fight for the rights of queer and trans individuals, of course here in our campus but in the city of Lethbridge, in southern Alberta and around the province,” said Mahon. 

He said the University of Lethbridge has the ability to increase understanding and build a community of support that reaches well beyond the boundaries of their campus.

Mahon added that they play a critical role in changing the attitudes and shifting culture through research, teaching, learning and being a community. 

“I encourage everyone to consider your everyday actions and find ways to reinforce the values that we are celebrating here today. We need to work together to signal to everyone across our community that ULethbridge is an inclusive and safe space for all people,” said Mahon.

President of Pride Fest Lethbridge Lane Sterr also spoke during the ceremony and said he knows the community is stronger together when it celebrates diversity, pride and others like multiculturalism. 

“We’re investing in young people and old, we are creating space to let these people flourish and I think that we are leaving the world and the city better than we have found it,” said Sterr. 

He asked those in attendance and watching the live stream to never give up and to keep pounding the pavement like those before us to continue to progress. 

After the Progressive Pride flag was raised Mahon spoke to the media and said Pride Month and the raising of the Pride flag are really important symbols for the university to show they believe strongly in inclusivity and to be very public about it. 

“Public events really allow us to make statements on how significant this is, and we’ve also provided food for thought for the community more broadly,” said Mahon.

“We have a number of different groups on campus that provide support of members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community to make sure they support as many different communities in their campus, to ensure they can fully participate on campus. 

Executive director of equity, diversity and inclusion for the University of Lethbridge, Martha Mathurin-Moe said the flag raising event Monday was about getting the campus community to come back together and also about the importance of celebrating Pride Month.  

“This is an important month, and this was our way of saying we are here, and we are part of the community, and we want to make sure all our students and staff feel that they are part of this community as well,” said Mathurin-Moe. 

She said it is very important to provide an inclusive space for the student population at the U of L because they are the reason the staff is there.

“We want to make sure that when they come here, no matter how they show up in this space, that they are safe, that they have a voice and that they can authentically be themselves, so this is very important to our school,” said Mathurin-Moe. 

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