LGBT, Muslim community come together in solidarity in Winnipeg

An art event in Winnipeg is bringing together Winnipeg's Muslim and LGBT communities.

LunacityArt Build will take place onSaturday evening at the Hive at the University of Winnipeg. People from both communities will create sculptures which will be presented at Pride in June.

The goal is to showcase messages of solidarity between the two communities, said organizerJacqPelland, who is also theLGBTdirector for the University of Winnipeg Students' Association.

Lunacitywas formed by artists and activists afterOrlando's Pulse Nightclub shooting last year.

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Pellandsaid she can understand people's struggle connecting their religion to accepting LGBTpeople because she was raised Roman Catholic.

"I grew up learning that homosexuality was wrong, it was forbidden in the Bible," she said, adding she knows many churches and religious organizations that are open to LGBT people.

"However, I think that religion, like anything else in society, is not static. It is open to interpretation,it can change with the time."

After the recent attack at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre, Pelland said it is more important than ever that marginalized communities come together.

"I completely oppose painting everyone with the same brush. I think that's really toxic. I think that's very harmful," she said.

"It really hampers any sort of opportunity for marginalized groups to come together in terms of oppressions that they face and especially given the fact that there are many people in both communities whose identities overlap."

The event runs from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and participants will also be creating postcards to give to mosques in Winnipeg as an expression of support.