Jaylene Tyme has been an iconic figure in Vancouver’s community for over 30 years. Banff Pride welcomes Jaylene as part of our speaker series. Join us as she opens up about her path to self-discovery and empowerment. From her early experiences as a Sixties Scoop survivor, through overcoming challenges with addiction, to becoming a celebrated leader in Vancouver’s drag scene, Jaylene shares her remarkable journey. As a proud Indigenous, Two-Spirit trans woman, her story is one of resilience, identity, and unwavering dedication to her communities.

Beyond Cancel Culture: Embracing Accountability for True Allyship

Presented by Makaylah Rogers (they/them) & Fia-Lynn Crandall (she/her), Owners of Frankie D’s Donuts & Scale Naturally

In today’s world, inclusion efforts are necessary, critical and need to be prioritized. Rates of hate crimes against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are increasing, as well as suicide rates (especially for youth, trans & non-binary folks). It is no longer okay to stand on the sidelines as microaggressions and ignorance continue to hurt the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

However, we also know that the fear of being ‘canceled’ is stopping well-intentioned allies from stepping up.

This session invites both the queer community and allies to engage in a powerful conversation on moving beyond cancel culture toward accountability, where we can grow and do better together.

Through a blend of education, storytelling, and open dialogue, we’ll explore:

    •         How accountability can build stronger, more inclusive communities

    •         Practical tools for learning from mistakes and having tough conversations about inclusion

    •         What true allyship in action requires—imperfection and all

Whether you’re afraid of messing up or exhausted from constant microaggressions, this session offers a path forward, turning mistakes into opportunities for growth and deeper connection.

Between Two Trans: An engaging discussion about trans issues between Sullivan Brenner and Banff Pride Board Director River Lachlan.

River (he/they) is a non-binary trans man living in the Bow Valley over the past 6 years. Throughout his time, River has been devoted to creating safe spaces for queer people to be themselves through outreach and engagement in the community. They celebrate their accomplishment of starting the first queer discussion group at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in 2019, leading him to currently sit as a Board Director on the Banff Pride Society. He fosters connection with members in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by volunteering, participating, and performing in many pride events. River strives to challenge binary ways of thinking, and this is ignited by the array of spaces and connections that they have made in the Bow Valley.

With River Lachlan, Easton West and Mason Jenkins

Are you looking to express yourself through makeup? Join us for a collaboration between makeup artist Sean Anthony and Banff Pride, as we come together to host an empowering makeup class that gives back to the community.

Event Overview:

Sean Anthony, a seasoned makeup expert, will impart pro-tips and techniques, fostering self-confidence and self-expression in a safe and welcoming environment.

Event Highlights:

• Makeup class led by Sean Anthony.

• Generous goody bags with full-sized products.

• Opportunity to learn and express in a supportive and inclusive setting.

Giving Back:

All event proceeds will be donated to Rainbow Railroad.

Participation Fee:
$50.00 per person 
*payment processed onsite

Date and Time:
October 14, 2023 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Join us for an unforgettable event that celebrates inclusivity, self-expression, and community support! Let's make a difference together.

Proudly sponsored by,

Mac Cosmetics, One Size, Benefit, Milk Makeup, Urban Decay, Color Pop, Tarte Haus Labs, Vichy, Sheglam

With Raymond Brown

An open discussion speaking on two spirit identity, ANTIRACISM, decolonizing queerness, mental health and substance use.

Raymond "RJ" Johnson-Brown (they/them)

A changemaker, conversationalist, and creative professional transforming systems for over 13 years. Whether on the set of "1 Queen 5 Queers" or advocating for Indigenous Resurgence, Raymond seeks to facilitate a courageous dialogue on what is possible. As a two-spirit, queer, ethnic anomaly, Raymond is motivated by opportunities to meaningfully engage with communities served. Guided by their lived experience in foster care and breaking the cycle of generations of mental health/addictions, Raymond pushes communities to move from transactional relationships, to transformational relationships.

Queer Current Events:

The queer community has been experiencing collective trauma related to our lived identities in western society. Recently, drag bans, all ages drag shows, and anti-trans legislation have been sweeping through the United States and are affecting our communities everywhere. This session, taught by Victoria Bucholtz will move through these current events through a historical lens and share how these events are allowing us to see history repeating itself.

Speaker:

Victoria Bucholtz holds a doctorate in History and Gender Theory from the University of Calgary. She is an instructor at Mount Royal University in Calgary. She also works in the EDI field (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) for the Queer Education Foundation as a consultant and facilitator. An avid mountaineer, performer, and dog mom, Victoria is a passionate advocate for rights for the gender and sexually diverse community.

Makaylah (they/them), and their wife, Fia-Lynn (she/her) are a queer local couple in the Bow Valley and have two local businesses, Frankie D's Donuts & Scale Naturally. They are passionate advocates for the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and strongly believe in the power of representation, inclusivity and building empathy based connection.

Makaylah & Fia-Lynn will be hosting an open discussion "Donut Make Assumptions: Queer Pride & Intersectionality" and will be bringing together a diverse panel to discuss the intersectionality of queer pride with other aspects of identity that overlap, and are often misunderstood and judged.

Come to this open discussion to enjoy Frankie D's Donuts and hear personal experiences and stories from queer Bow Valley community members.

About Frankie D's Donuts

Frankie D's Donuts was started in 2020 by business partners and wives, Makaylah Rogers (they/them) & Fia-Lynn Crandall (she/her) and is named after their goofy labradoodle, Frankie D. They set out to spread awareness about mental health and give their community something to look forward to during difficult periods of lockdowns and isolation. 

Makaylah & Fia-Lynn are open about their struggles with mental illness, and they saw that others started talking more openly about their struggles too. At their Donut Day pickups, they write special messages inside each box to encourage their customers to be kind to themselves. Community members come to pick up Donuts, and connect with each other through conversation, laughter, and sometimes a few tears.

Frankie D, Makaylah & Fia-Lynn care deeply about creating space for people to feel seen, heard, valued and celebrated for who they are. This is what inspired Makaylah & Fia-Lynn to begin developing more guided experiences for people to form deeper connections and feel less alone in the world. 

With Ren Lavergne, Janet Wong , Charlotte Kruszewski and Sarah Jackson

Sharing the perspective of a queer rock guide.

• How working with 2SLGBTQ+ groups has changed the way I guide

• What I have learned from these outings,

• How we can use the outdoors to build queer & trans community

• Queer representation in the industry.

Ren (they/them)

Ren is an ACMG Rock Guide who is passionate about climbing, teaching, and connecting with community at the crag. They believe in the power of affinity spaces and take joy in collaborating with local grassroots organizations to offer outdoor rock-climbing courses that are accessible, supportive and welcoming. Ren is a queer non-binary white settler and they live in Canmore, AB.

Janet Wong (they/them)
Janet is an ACMG Toprope Rock Climbing Instructor who has a passion for climbing with tools and shredding down mountains. They have participated in creating inclusive spaces and access for climbing in the past couple of years in different capacities, as a participant, organiser, mentor, recreationalist and instructor. Known for tooling around on rock upside down as well as climbing remote icefalls, Janet is queer and non-binary with Chinese immigrant parents and is based in Canmore.

Charlotte Kruszewski (They/Them)

Charlotte grew up climbing, beginning with a bookshelf and quickly moving onto solid walls at their local gym. This start in the outdoor recreation industry led them to become a whitewater canoe guide, bicycle mechanic, rock climbing competition belayer, the EDI Chair with the Alpine Club of Canada Edmonton Section, an Arc’Teryx Brand ambassador, and a co-founder of the Queer Climbing Collective in Edmonton. Charlotte is a huge fan of the outdoors. They are a white settler and live in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) on treaty 6 territory.

Sarah Jackson (she/they)

Sarah is a climber, skier, and hiker, currently based a few blocks away on Treaty 7 territory. After university in an effort to better understand her Ukrainian-Canadian settler identity, the land she was raised on, and responsibility related to the space that we take up, she spent two years walking 12,000 kilometres coast-to-coast on the Trans Canada Trail. 

The journey fueled a deep interest in the intersection of outdoor pursuit with inclusive and diverse community engagement, and in 2018 (alongside her friends and climbing partners) Sarah co-founded The Crush Collective, a non-profit working to remove barriers to access, foster safe and welcoming community, and celebrate representation in the outdoors. More than anything, she loves sharing absolute psych for all things outside with everyone and anyone interested.

Between Two Trans: An engaging discussion about trans issues between local educator and musician Aurora Borin and Banff Pride Board Director River Lachlan.

Aurora is a queer, geek, pianist, Wiccan priestess, gamer, animal lover, hobby cook, extreme Taurus, and avid reader. She reads, hikes, eats charcuterie, drinks wine and scotch, and imagines new ways to live the dreams of her childhood. Aurora has been advocating for and educating about 2SLGBTQIA+ folks for 9 years. She is the founder of bow Valley DEI, is a regular public speaker in the Bow Valley, and is a successful career musician and collaborative pianist. She has been described lovely, impactful, engaging, and a force of nature.

River (he/they) is a non-binary trans man living in the Bow Valley over the past 6 years. Throughout his time, River has been devoted to creating safe spaces for queer people to be themselves through outreach and engagement in the community. They celebrate their accomplishment of starting the first queer discussion group at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in 2019, leading him to currently sit as a Board Director on the Banff Pride Society. He fosters connection with members in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by volunteering, participating, and performing in many pride events. River strives to challenge binary ways of thinking, and this is ignited by the array of spaces and connections that they have made in the Bow Valley.

Thomas Iglesias Trombetta (they/he) is a Brazilian settler living in Treaty 7 (Calgary, AB). Since graduating, Thomas has worked in multiple roles focused on LGBTQ2S+ health and education. Primarily, they have worked as an HIV prevention educator and with HIV PrEP research in Alberta. Outside of work, you can find them drawing up some art or at the local drag shows.

Three years ago, Thomas joined PurposeMed, the company responsible for Freddie, Frida, and Foria, where they have been responsible for partnerships, events, and the creative direction of the brands.

During this presentation, they will be speaking about the development of these different health services from a community lens; How do we responsibly engage with community partners with the goal of collaboration? How do we create images that represent the diversity of our communities?