KSA launches Positive Space campaign
Kwantlen Student Association’s Positive Space campaign launched Feb. 22.
By Kristi Alexandra
[culture editor]
A new flag was hoisted in Kwantlen’s Surrey campus courtyard on February 22.
Beside the mainstay Canadian national flag and the British Columbia provincial flag fluttered one more: the rainbow-striped pride and diversity flag.
This coincided with the Kwantlen Student Association’s Positive Space campaign launch that took place in the Surrey Main building, which aimed to bring awareness to Kwantlen’s LGBTQ community.
Close to 50 people attended the inception of the Positive Space campaign, including local MLAs, students and instructors. Speakers included departing president David Atkinson, criminology teacher Joan Nesbitt and Matthew DiMera, the KSA’s queer liaison. Each echoed a similar sentiment: this is the first step to creating a queer and ally positive space across all four campuses.
DiMera wanted to be clear in his speech—the buck doesn’t stop here. The lack of acceptance or awareness to members of the LGBTQ community is not a problem unique to Kwantlen, the Positive Space campaign should be present in all of our communities he said.
Wrapping-up the event, the new Positive Space logo was unveiled. It is a circular rainbow motif, with non-traditional rainbow colours. The rainbow represents the traditional LGBTQ diversity symbol, and the circular shape represents inclusivity.
