By Emily Stonehouse

A rebrand, a shift, a change, a transformation,

That’s the journey Minden Pride is currently on.

Actually, Minden Pride is now a thing of the past. The not-for-profit, volunteer-run organization has now officially renamed themselves Pride in the Highlands; a decision formalized during their Town Hall meeting on May 10. “We thought, ‘how can we represent a whole county, while still honouring the origins of Minden Pride,’” said Pride co-chair, Chris Hewson. “Part of our mandate is to ensure we are meeting everyone where they are at.”

Minden Pride was formed in 2016, after the tragic shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. This event coincided with an act of vandalism in Haliburton village, where a storefront was defaced with homophobic graffiti. With these events in mind, founders Sinclair Russell and Bob Baynton-Smith went to Minden Hills council in an effort to develop an established acknowledgment of local Pride.

The first few years of Minden Pride were comprised of flag raisings and community picnics, but it quickly grew into a week-long event that put Minden on the map; with street parties, trivia nights, drag shows, movie viewings, comedy nights, and more.

Though while the event grew in stature, Hewson noted that the title of ‘Minden Pride’ was a bit of a “blind spot”.

“We had people coming from Gelert, from Haliburton, from Wilberforce, and coming to a Pride with a different name. And then it feels like you’re just visiting.”

Hewson shared that this was common feedback: the event serviced and represented individuals from all across the county, but perhaps did not represent the county as a whole.

When the organization announced their official rebrand to Pride in the Highlands during their May 10 Town Hall, Hewson said they were met with uproarious applause. “It’s been an incredible response so far,” he beamed, noting it is a transition period during the rebranding phase. “I couldn’t be more thrilled with the response.”

As Pride in the Highlands looks forward, they have identified some areas of interest they would like to focus on. Hewson shared that working with the youth of the community is key. “We are looking for ways in which we can create community connections,” he said. “And for the youth of our community, there are a lot of gaps in the resources available.”

Hewson shared that the registered not-for-profit is also seeking both committee members, as well as volunteers for the coming Pride Week, currently slotted for August 18 to 24 of this coming year. For more information, visit www.mindenpride.ca.