Winnipeg’s Rainbow Gala shines with 50 years of LGBTQ2 empowerment, unity

The Rainbow Resource Centre held its annual fundraiser at the RBC Convention Centre on Saturday, marking the 50th anniversary of Canada’s longest-serving queer and trans community centre.

Music, drag queens and go-go dancers met with powerful speeches and the community showed up like never before, including all three levels of government and nearly a thousand guests.

“Fifty years ago this kind of party would never have been possible in Winnipeg. It’s because of the work of the team at Rainbow over the decades that we can experience this kind of queer and trans joy in Manitoba,” said Ashley Smith, director of advocacy, at Rainbow Resource Centre.

The recent rise in anti-trans and anti-queer hate had people in attendance motivated to show their support.

2:39 LGBTQ2S curling league kicks off biggest season ever

“This centre is just absolutely based on love and support and care,” said Lisa Windsor, Studio 73 performer.

“It’s great to see the community come together, especially in times like we’re facing today with so much hate but tonight the room is filled with positivity,” said guest, Brian Puls.

The Rainbow Resource Centre started in the 1970s, a first of its kind in Canada. Now, in 2023, the centre offers support to the LGTBQ2 community in the form of counselling, education and programming from kids to seniors.

“We’re always gonna need that space that’s for us, by us.. That we can just breath, relax,” said Bryce Byron, database manager at the Rainbow Resource Centre.

“Being able to just come in and feel the joy, feel the love in the room is amazing.”

The fundraiser netted a staggering $909,190, the largest sum ever raised. “Tonight was 10 times more than I could have ever imagined,” said Windsor.

Meanwhile, Smith said he can’t wait to get past the rise in hate and get back to the work that matters to LGBTQ2 Manitobans.

— with files from Global’s Lisa Dutton