Central Alberta reserve shows pride with rainbow crosswalk

A central Alberta reserve is making its first steps toward pride across a rainbow crosswalk.

About 30 people helped paint thecolourful crossingon the main street of Samson Cree Nation at Maskwacis Wednesday night.

"I want Samson to be an inclusive safe community for all regardless of your religious beliefs or sexual orientation,"Chief VernonSaddlebacksaid at the ceremony.

"I want this place to be welcoming and safe foreveryone."

• Historic Pride parade on Saskatchewan First Nation
• Alberta First Nation to hold first Pride event on Morley reserve
• Eskasoni First Nation holds first Pride events

Advocate CheviRabbit a transgender and two-spiritmember of the nearby Montana First Nation was the driving force behind the project.

"It's showing to the youth of that community that the straight, heterosexual leader is validating their lived experience," Rabbit said.

"I think it's a sign of good things to come."

LGBTQ2SFirst Nations people can experience"double discrimination," where they'retargetedfor their raceand theirsexual orientation or gender identity, Rabbit said.

That makes supporting initiatives such as the rainbow crosswalk andother Pride eventsespeciallyimportant, Coun. Katherine Swampysaid.

"We wanted to encourage them and help them, support them, to show them you're welcome here. You're allowed to be who you are here," she said.

The crosswalk paintingwas the first-ever Pride event on a reserve for Edmonton Two-Spirit Society presidentBoyd Whiskeyjack.

"The vision I see is the work we're doing now is for the two-spirit youth for seven generations to come like our ancestors did before," said Whiskeyjackwho comesfrom the Saddle Lake First Nation northeast of Edmonton.

• Two-spirit powwow coming to Winnipeg Pride

Next year, Rabbit hopes a new Maskwacis Two-Spirit Societywill organizea Pride parade and a two-spirit powwow.

Bobbi-JoL'Hirondelle, of the Trans and Non-Binary Aid Society, hopes Samson's efforts willinspire other reservesin Alberta.

"I hope it sets in motion that more reserves and more communities, the smaller ones especially, will follow in the footsteps of this reserve and paint crosswalks and show their pride and show their inclusiveness," L'Hirondelle said.

roberta.bell@cbc.ca

@roberta__bell