CAN (LET’S) was put in contact with the new Executive Director (ED) of Victoria Pride. They were interested in learning about the work that Creating Accessible Neighbourhoods does and how they can better provide access.
Victoria Pride currently has a board Chair who has a disability and is working to ensure Victoria Pride is moving in the right direction with accessibility planning. This is an excellent, and important, first step. Our conversation with Victoria Pride’s ED included ideas that they can incorporate in the future. Examples include: accessibility protocols,
writing a statement of intention, noting “where is accessible and not accessible., creating bubbles at the Parade for folks who don’t want swag (t-shirts, pens, fans, etc.) thrown at them for a variety of reasons (sensory issues, anxiety, etc.), having a clearly delineated section specifically for those dealing with sensory and over stimulation, including the possibility of a calm tent with stem toys (fidget toys for people who are overstimulated).
CAN (LET’S) also offered to provide our Disability Awareness workshop to Victoria Pride’s board. As it is currently the height of Pride season, they thanked us and said they would be in touch and looked forward to connecting further.