Polytechnic marks 10 years of raising Pride flag

By Lethbridge Herald on June 26, 2025.

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge Polytechnic is celebrating a decade of Pride. For the tenth consecutive year, employees, students, alumni and community members gathered Wednesday to raise the Progressive Pride Flag.

The polytechnic first flew the Pride Flag in 2015 and since 2021 it has raised the Progressive Pride Flag, which highlights the inclusion of trans individuals, marginalized people of colour in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and those affected by HIV/AIDS.

The flag raising ceremony this year showed support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and reinforced the institution’s commitment to kindness, inclusivity and caring for one another.

Brad Donaldson, president and CEO of Lethbridge Polytechnic, said that having done the event for so long, speaks to the culture and the people who are part of the polytechnic.

“This is not just an event we do because it’s timely or because it seems appropriate,” said Donaldson. “We do it because it reflects the values that we have, that we care for individuals.”

He said that belonging is in their mission statement and the flag raising highlights that and it shows who they are. 

“Having so many people here reflects that our employees, staff and students really do embrace what we’re about. They have come to experience the opportunity to be there and recognize the importance of Pride, belonging and inclusiveness.”

He added that it’s important for the polytechnic’s culture to make sure that everyone at the school feels safe to be who they are. 

“Whoever you are and whatever you come to this institution for, whether as an employee or student, you don’t have to worry about things like that,” said Donaldson. “Because you can’t be a good learner, or a good employee if you’re constantly in fear of being in a workplace.” 

He said that offering a safe workplace and a safe environment for students to learn is the core of what the polytechnic is. 

“We will do everything we can to make sure that stays that way,” said Donaldson. 

Adrianna Smith, student development co-ordinator in student affairs, confirmed that as a queer woman, she has felt safe on campus, and she hopes that the same goes for students and fellow staff members. 

“Granted I am a woman in her mid-30’s, there is a bit more confidence, I lived a life, nonetheless, I think that the important thing for me is safety,” said Smith. 

She added that safety was not something she needed to consider “while in the closet,” but after coming out of the closet as she moves into new environments and new spaces safety is a part of the conversation. 

“I have to do an assessment, but being here at the polytechnic, a lot less of an assessment in that way,” said Smith. 

Smith was the master of ceremonies for the flag-raising event and during her speech, she mentioned that as a lesbian woman, it took her years to “come out of the closet,” because those type of conversations were not happening, positive or negative. Now in her mid-30s and openly lesbian, she felt immense joy to know that people nowadays were given the opportunity to have those conversations starting at a young age, and that they don’t have to wait as long as she did to have the courage to “come out of the closet.” 

After the ceremony, when talking about a decade of Pride at the polytechnic, she said it’s been great to see the changes taking place in terms of inclusion. 

“I started here in the 2010’s as a welder and it has been remarkable to see the change through the years now as a staff member. When I was here as a student, pride flag raising didn’t exist and I am honoured to be able to participate in it today,” said Smith. 

She added that the polytechnic is the first publicly funded institution in Canada that has been celebrating the idea of a caring community and inclusion for 10 years. 

When talking about the change from a pride flag to a progressive pride flag, Smith said the shift was necessary because the new flag is more encompassing. 

“I like to use the term of rainbow umbrella or queer umbrella as larger terms to encapsulate everyone. The previous flag wasn’t representative of everyone, and I think that’s the beauty of pride, no matter your creed, or colour, there is a spot for you at pride,” said Smith. 

She added that the previous flag didn’t allude to how broad the umbrella is. And therefore, it was important to speak to additional sub-sections of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, that are even more oppressed than the rest of them. 

“Our people of colour, our trans individuals, as well as our indigenous identifying queer as well. We all have our unique challenges and that progressive flag was a way for us to acknowledge those unique challenges that occur in our community,” said Smith.