Please note this important additional question from community leader Joshua Morin (Luna Wolf):

"How does Edmonton PrideFest ensure meaningful representation and consultation with Indigenous, Two-Spirit, and Indigiqueer communities in the planning and delivery of the parade and festival, including recognition that distinct Nations and communities have different histories, relationships, perspectives, and needs, and that consultation with a single Indigenous organization or entity cannot substitute for broader, Nation- and community-specific engagement?"

Please note that there was a significant omission in the original posting of this letter. Shades of Colour is one of the original signatories, and has been deeply involved in advocating on this issue since 2018.

We offer our deep gratitude to:

Rohan Parikh, Co-Organizer - Shades of Colour

Nicole Jones-Abad, Co-Organizer -

Shades of Colour

for their support in the drafting of this letter and for everything they continue to do for our community.

Their importance of their work can not be overstated, and we deeply regret this mistake.

To Edmonton Pride Festival.

Before I get into this, do not go and reach out to edmonton pride festivals dms, dont seek out individuals who were a part of planning, none of that. Anything and all you should do is share this post, and comment your feelings and demands below. This is not an attack, this is a statement, and hopefully it will bring about change, not harm. Nobody should be harassing anyone.

I attended pride festival this year, yes I know despite the controversy. I want to direct your attention to the open letter about the festival and their choice to include police. I also believe for my followers that I made myself clear about my feelings about this issue. ACAB. Hire indiginous security, and its not respectful to give us less than 3 days notice when making these decisions that wasnt actually giving proper notice or chance for meaningful discussion.

No today I am talking about accessability. Pride festival had a whole post this year on accessability promising the community an accessable cannabis lounge, asl interpreters, water, and accessable washrooms.

I dont piss in drag. You better believe im watching my water intake like a hawk so I cant speak to washrooms but unfortunately pride festival this year fell short in so many ways.

I was personally injured as a member of the public when going up the cannabis lounge ramp. This ramp was very similar to the backstage ramp of the past three years, way too steep. An unsafe ramp is just as bad as not having a ramp at all. This couldve been avoided by keeping the lounge on the ground, or extending the ramp longer and wider to allow access, or have rest spots with a long ramp to actually fall within the maximum slope of accessable ramps. I went up the ramp and the slope overrode the centre of mass in my chair.

Unfortunately this fall in my electric wheelchair damaged my property, and my body. The day of I immediately demanded a replacement of my cane, which i have been promised.

This ramp situation isnt new, backstage for the last three years voltessa shock, and flex appeal have been demanding equal access to the stage. Every year the disabled performers have been met with an incredibly steep ramp. Last year, you had drums set up right where the ramp ended at the top, which forced disabled persformers to utilize the stairs. This included crawling up the stairs and having other performers and volunteers carry mobility aids up for us. This year there was no ramp at all, and no lift due to the lift being down.

This is inhumane, humiliating, and beyond disrespectful. While we understand as disabled persons that lifts are expensive and can be unreliable if broken before an event, this is why having a disabled advocate is so important, because we couldve easily told you a backup plan needed to be in place. If youre frustrated with the city's last minute cancellation of the only operating lift for public events, you need to speak up about it too. Disabled people have been demanding access for years, for better backups and contingencies, and hell, even a second lift.

As someone who isnt a part of the deaf or signing community, I cant begin to understand how upsetting it must have been to show up to a festival where you were promised a show in your language, only to have no interpreters present at all. The experience of getting ready, showing up, only to feel more isolated and lied to is heart breaking.

Pride festival heres what you need to do to make this right specifically with the disabled community you wronged this year. You need to replace damaged property, and offer your disabled performers a performer payout for the humiliation of the last three years. You should issue an apology, and that premium for the lack of accessability to performers like voltessa, hot wheelz, and flex appeal for their troubles, as well as offer them a paid role in future festivities. Wether they choose to accept that or not is up to them but you need to continue to book these performers despite how "difficult" we are for asking for equal access. You need to apologize not just privately but publically to the disabled community for the unsafe ramps, and the lack of asl interpreters at your festival this year. Those who rely on asl deserve a public apology for being decieved. We dont want excuses, we dont want the reasons, we want a meaningful apology. We want you to hire your disabled volunteers and community members in leadership roles, including deaf, visually impaired, blind, otherwise physically and mentally disabled individuals as consultants.

To the volunteers and staff who helped me after and during the fall. You literally caught me, this would've been so much worse if not for you. I managed to get away with a sprained wrist, thank god no breaks, some scrapes and a pretty nasty bruise on my arm, but at least I didnt hit my head, or snap my wrist under the full weight of my chair and body. The individuals around me helping catch me before smacking all the way down is what saved me from a head blow. I want you to know I see you, I hear you and I know you were on our side. Festivals, organizations etc, they are quick to accept free labour from disabled individuals, but when it comes to hiring us into leadership roles, accepting us as equals on a team and actually accomodating their workers, these places fall flat and continuously devalue your labour. You deserve to be hired, you deserve to be listened to, and without you all who helped me, this injury would have been so much worse. Those of you running around wih water, first aid, helping guests, interacting, etc, you know who you are, thank you. This isnt about you.

Edmonton pride festival. Do better, or give this committee back the the community and let someone else organize. This was a mess.

Victory

(Any/All pronouns)