To mark Pride Month in Edmonton, the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Committee invites you to a special presentation, Capturing and Sharing Queer History, featuring Ron Byers.
Wednesday, June 10 | Noon - 1:00 pm
Cascade Room, Lower Level, Students' Union Building (SUB)
This presentation will highlight the early work of Darrin Hagen (University of Alberta's 2019 Writer in Residence and 2024 Lee Playwright in Residence) and contributions from the Edmonton Queer History Project, Rainbow Story Hub, City Archives, and the Royal Alberta Museum. Key topics will include:
- The history of pronouns and Pride flags.
- LGBTQ+ rights timelines in Alberta.
- An explanation of 2SLGBTQIA+ acronyms.
- Notable milestones in Canadian queer history.
- The impact of HIV/AIDS in Edmonton.
Lunch will be provided to members who RSVP their attendance in advance.
About Ron Byers
Ron Byers, 71, is a longtime advocate, storyteller, and leader within Edmonton’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community, with more than 55 years of dedicated involvement. Since 2022, he has served as a Pride Promoter with Pride Edmonton and a collaborator with Explore Edmonton, where he annually authors the Guide to the Summer of Pride for their Global Marketing division and helps highlight Spring Pride activities across the city.
A committed community builder, Ron has volunteered as a Positive Speaker with HIV Edmonton and was honoured with HIV Edmonton’s Community Leadership Award in 2023, followed by a 2024 co-recipient recognition as part of a Community Research Associate team.
As a queer historian, he founded the Rainbow Story Hub Foundation, sharing Edmonton’s rich queer history with depth and passion, and has contributed to expanding queer collections with both the City of Edmonton Archives and the Royal Alberta Museum.
In 2024 Ron was inducted into the Canada 2SLGBTQ+ Wall of Honour, complementing the American Wall of Honour housed at the historic Stonewall Inn.
He was also awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his work in HIV awareness, nominated by the Canadian AIDS Society and HIV Edmonton and presented by Alberta’s Lieutenant Governor on behalf of the Governor General of Canada.