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11TuesdayAugust132013ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheobjectiveofthisyearsNWTPridefestivalwasuniteusbutaccordingtocoordinatorImanKassamthatthemewontbeneces-sarynextyear.Withdozensofhappyfestival-goersdrumdanc-inghandinhandunderthenorthernlightsSundaynighttoclosethethree-dayeventoffitwasapparentthatunityacrossdifferentcommunitieswasalreadybeingcelebrated.YoucometoNWTPrideanditslledwithalliesshesaid.Theresnovisibledifferencetheresnosegre-gationorseparation.Weareallunited.Ourthemewastoreallypushunitybutmaybewedontneedtomaybethatunityalreadyexists.Itwasreallygreattoseeitandtohighlightit.Lookinginthisbeergar-denyouhavesomanydif-ferentidentitiesandyoucantmakeanyassumptionsonanyone.Everyoneishereeitherassomeonewhoiden-tiesundertheLGBTQum-brellaorisasolidally.AnyotherPrideIvebeentointheworld-andIvebeentoalotofPrides-thisistheonlyonewhereeveryonesexistingtheresnopolariza-tionnoseparation...IthinkDenendehscommunityandYellowknifescommunitywasunitedbeforewecamealong.HundredsofallagesockedtotheFolkontheRocksgroundsunderper-fectsizzlinghotweatherfor2013Pridetakinginawidevarietyoffreework-shopslocalmusicaltalentsillycontestsandtogroovetobigactslikeATribeCalledRedandTheCliks.ThisyearworkshoptopicsrangedfromdecolonizationcapitalismandspiritualitytopopularcultureandthehealingpoweroftheDenedrumamongothers.Work-shopcoordinatorJacqBras-seursaidPridefunctionsasagreatvenuetolearnanddiscusscomplicatedissuesinanopenandpositivespace.Idontthinkthatyoucanunitecommunitywithouteducationandwithoutun-derstandingoneanotherandwhenyouhavemorethanonegroupofpeoplewhosharesimilarinterestsorwhoaresomewhatlike-mindedyouhavetounitethosedifferentcommunitiesandyoucantdothatwithoutthemunder-standingoneanotheroratleasthavingtheopportunitytounderstandoneanothersothatswhyIthinkworkshopsaresoimportantatbringingpeopletogetherandjustunit-ingpeopleBrasseursaid.Thefactthatwereasafeenoughspacewhereyoucanhavetwocompletelyoppos-ingviewpointsbutpeoplearerespectfulandjusthavereallygreatopendialogueandeveryonelearnsfromoneanother...Thatsreallygreat.Apartfromtheweekendac-tivitiesPridekickedoffwithopeningwordsfromDeneNa-tionalChiefBillErasmusandregionalvicepresidentofTDCanadaLorneAndersontheeventstitlesponsoratSaa-mbaKeParkindowntownYellowknifeonFridaynight.Kassamsaidthefocusonlovekepttheeventsraisondtreincloseview.TohavetheDeneNa-tionalChiefcomeupandtalkaboutloveandtohaveourtitlesponsorgetupandtalkaboutlove-noonepush-inganagendaeveryonejusttalkingaboutwhywereallhereandwhywereallsounited.Itwasjustbeautiful.Noonepushedtheiragendaandeveryonewasjustreallyaboutthecauseshesaid.ErasmussaidhispresencewasaboutshowingsupporttotheLGBTQcommunity.SomeoneaskedmewhyIwastherelastFridaynight.IsaidYouveheardofthegaypeopleweretheallieshetoldTheJournal.ThoughtheorganizingcommitteehaddifficultysecuringfundingthisyearKassamsaiditdidntaf-fectthesuccessoftheeventwhatsoeverwhichsawcom-munitycomethroughintheabsenceofmorecorporatesponsorship.ThatbeingsaidshewouldlovetoseeNWTPrideexpandwiththehelpofmoredonors.Letsjustsayhypotheti-callyifwewereabletogetmoremoneyIdliketoincor-poratemoreofthecityofYel-lowknife...andgetmorepeopleandinfrastructureinvolvedshesaid.AndHayRiverthrewtheirownPrideFortSmithwasreallyinterestedBeh-chokowasreallyinterested-ifIhadmorefundingIwouldgoouttothosecommunitiesandhelpestablishlittlecom-mitteestorunPrideandgetbusesandtransportationtobringpeopleintothis.WeholdthetitleofNWTPrideandwearestillsoverydedicatedtoourmandatewhichistoin-corporatetheterritory.Kassamputoutthankstothehardworkingvolunteerswhomadethefestivalpossi-ble.Shesaidworkingduringhigh-energyperformancesbytheheadlinerbandsmustnothavebeeneasybuttheirpas-sionandcommitmentwasnotoverlooked.Ithinkitsreallybeautifulthatpeoplecareforthecausethatmuchthattheyjustwanttohelpasmuchastheycanshesaid.PridefestivalhighlightsaunitedNWTSportsRecreationFestivalsPhotosMeaganWohlbergDJKodiakakaCodyPunterleftandDanCampbellshowtheirPridespirit.LefttorightAlinaBouvierJamieLookandAngelaSterrittserveuprefreshingdrinksatthePridebeergardensSaturdayevening.KellyGrrlrocksoutatthebeergardensSundayevening.TimAstaservesupfreecookiestotheproudandhungryonSunday.TheCliksperformSaturdaynightatPrideinfrontofahighenergycrowd.PrideorganizersVannyBaronleftandJacqBrasseurgetauctionedofftoraisemoneyforthefestival.