A Masterclass in Advocacy: What Community Leaders Can Learn From Canmore Pride
By Jenny Spurr
Note: this article was written and published with approval from Canmore Pride.
Recently, Canmore Pride reached out to a local business to inquire about sponsorship or food donations for a free and inclusive climbing event and BBQ being hosted in partnership with The Crush Collective during Canmore Pride in mid-September.
The organization received a conspiracy-filled, transphobic, and homophobic reply from the company’s owner, which was quickly shared by allies on social media, resulting in widespread outrage and national press coverage. The company issued an online statement informing social media followers that the individual had been removed from the business, while allies called for other local businesses to terminate their partnerships and contracts.
The situation is a case study in responding to transphobia and hate speech with patience and grace. Canmore Pride has given a masterclass for community-minded leaders looking to advocate for their cause and their community in the face of bigotry.
In this article, we dig into 5 lessons learned from Canmore Pride’s steadfast approach to advocacy and community leadership:
The organization received a conspiracy-filled, transphobic, and homophobic reply from the company’s owner, which was quickly shared by allies on social media, resulting in widespread outrage and national press coverage. The company issued an online statement informing social media followers that the individual had been removed from the business, while allies called for other local businesses to terminate their partnerships and contracts.
The situation is a case study in responding to transphobia and hate speech with patience and grace. Canmore Pride has given a masterclass for community-minded leaders looking to advocate for their cause and their community in the face of bigotry.
In this article, we dig into 5 lessons learned from Canmore Pride’s steadfast approach to advocacy and community leadership:
- Take care of yourself and your people
- Take the high road and stay true to your vision
- Stay true to what your organization stands for
- Know the history of your community
- Be prepared for a windfall of support
5 lessons learned from Canmore Pride
Lesson 1: Take care of yourself and your people
Unfortunately, the public can be rife with biases and prejudices, and some individuals and groups won’t be afraid to speak openly about them. Hate is an open attack on tolerance and acceptance, so before you immediately respond, take a moment to breathe.
It’s incredibly important that in the event of hate speech, you lead by example. Give your organization time to step back, and take care of yourself and your community. Physically taking care of yourself can reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, so establish a routine that includes nourishing foods and activities you enjoy.
Canmore Pride shared links to health and wellness resources (found at the end of this blog), so everyone has access to the support they need. Remember to uplift and empower your community, and report hate crimes to authorities and organizations fighting intolerance. Tracking hate crimes, where they’re coming from, and who it’s directed at is an essential part of ending it.
Lesson 2: Take the high road and keep your vision in sight
When someone hurls insults, it can be easy to react from a place of strong emotion. Rather than engage in mud-slinging, Canmore Pride referenced the email, and used it as an example to show that more work needs to be done in the Bow Valley.
While it’s important to hold perpetrators accountable and expect reparations, instances of intolerance are a great opportunity to highlight the need for your community organization, as the general public may not know what goes on behind the scenes. Canmore Pride drew attention to their vision, instead of their hurt feelings, by promoting their inclusion and diversity training program, noting, “the antidote to homophobia and transphobia is education.”
Lesson 3: Anchor your actions to your “why”
Your actions need to align with your mission statement in order to maintain your integrity. Canmore Pride stayed true to their mission and values, and reaffirmed their commitment to establishing visibility, inclusiveness, and education, while maintaining that transphobia is unacceptable.
The key to voicing your mission and values in a respectful but firm way is to assign the right spokesperson to represent your cause and community. They need to be ready to speak at a moment’s notice with canned key messages, sometimes in response to vitriol, so it’s vital they are deeply passionate and knowledgeable about your organization’s purpose.
Lesson 4: Know the history of your community
The 2SLGBTQ+ community has long been the subject of many harmful conspiracy theories, but knowing where they stem from can help you dispel myths and misconceptions. Canmore Pride co-chair K Kealey was quick to point out that the company owner’s comments, specifically about “grooming children,” were linked to a much larger conspiracy theory about trans men and women.
In fact, this theory began with the Save Our Children campaign of the 1970s, which claimed the 2SLGBTQ+ community were infiltrating schools and professions in order to have access to children. The leader of this campaign fought to have cities remove rights and protections for discrimination against sexual orientation. Showcasing facts helps clarify illegitimate claims against your organization and who you serve.
Lesson 5: Be ready for a windfall of support
No one wants to be the target of intolerance and bigotry, but some instances can remind the public to be generous in their philanthropic efforts. The Bow Valley community and beyond have shown their solidarity with Canmore Pride with a flood of emotional and financial support. Although large donations can help ensure long-term impact for your organization, you need to be prepared with a strategy. Consider having a windfall policy in place, so in the event of unbudgeted gifts, you know where to allocate and invest it immediately.
When establishing your online presence, your organization needs to have systems in place to receive outpourings of financial support. Look into technology and software to support your fundraising, and remember to obtain registered charity status, include links to donate online, and ensure you have the ability to issue donation receipts. Don’t forget to include the right calls to action so donors know how and where to go to give you support.
Unfortunately, the public can be rife with biases and prejudices, and some individuals and groups won’t be afraid to speak openly about them. Hate is an open attack on tolerance and acceptance, so before you immediately respond, take a moment to breathe.
It’s incredibly important that in the event of hate speech, you lead by example. Give your organization time to step back, and take care of yourself and your community. Physically taking care of yourself can reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, so establish a routine that includes nourishing foods and activities you enjoy.
Canmore Pride shared links to health and wellness resources (found at the end of this blog), so everyone has access to the support they need. Remember to uplift and empower your community, and report hate crimes to authorities and organizations fighting intolerance. Tracking hate crimes, where they’re coming from, and who it’s directed at is an essential part of ending it.
Lesson 2: Take the high road and keep your vision in sight
When someone hurls insults, it can be easy to react from a place of strong emotion. Rather than engage in mud-slinging, Canmore Pride referenced the email, and used it as an example to show that more work needs to be done in the Bow Valley.
While it’s important to hold perpetrators accountable and expect reparations, instances of intolerance are a great opportunity to highlight the need for your community organization, as the general public may not know what goes on behind the scenes. Canmore Pride drew attention to their vision, instead of their hurt feelings, by promoting their inclusion and diversity training program, noting, “the antidote to homophobia and transphobia is education.”
Lesson 3: Anchor your actions to your “why”
Your actions need to align with your mission statement in order to maintain your integrity. Canmore Pride stayed true to their mission and values, and reaffirmed their commitment to establishing visibility, inclusiveness, and education, while maintaining that transphobia is unacceptable.
The key to voicing your mission and values in a respectful but firm way is to assign the right spokesperson to represent your cause and community. They need to be ready to speak at a moment’s notice with canned key messages, sometimes in response to vitriol, so it’s vital they are deeply passionate and knowledgeable about your organization’s purpose.
Lesson 4: Know the history of your community
The 2SLGBTQ+ community has long been the subject of many harmful conspiracy theories, but knowing where they stem from can help you dispel myths and misconceptions. Canmore Pride co-chair K Kealey was quick to point out that the company owner’s comments, specifically about “grooming children,” were linked to a much larger conspiracy theory about trans men and women.
In fact, this theory began with the Save Our Children campaign of the 1970s, which claimed the 2SLGBTQ+ community were infiltrating schools and professions in order to have access to children. The leader of this campaign fought to have cities remove rights and protections for discrimination against sexual orientation. Showcasing facts helps clarify illegitimate claims against your organization and who you serve.
Lesson 5: Be ready for a windfall of support
No one wants to be the target of intolerance and bigotry, but some instances can remind the public to be generous in their philanthropic efforts. The Bow Valley community and beyond have shown their solidarity with Canmore Pride with a flood of emotional and financial support. Although large donations can help ensure long-term impact for your organization, you need to be prepared with a strategy. Consider having a windfall policy in place, so in the event of unbudgeted gifts, you know where to allocate and invest it immediately.
When establishing your online presence, your organization needs to have systems in place to receive outpourings of financial support. Look into technology and software to support your fundraising, and remember to obtain registered charity status, include links to donate online, and ensure you have the ability to issue donation receipts. Don’t forget to include the right calls to action so donors know how and where to go to give you support.
Learn from Canmore Pride and lead with integrity
As allies of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, we are grateful for heroes like Canmore Pride and The Crush Collective, and their partners, members, and volunteers, who work hard every day to make spaces safer and more inclusive.
Like Harvey Milk said, “It takes no compromise to give people their rights. It takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression.”
If you or a loved one need support, here are resources you can access:
Like Harvey Milk said, “It takes no compromise to give people their rights. It takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression.”
If you or a loved one need support, here are resources you can access:
