First and foremost, we want to thank the person who wrote to the Martlet. They took the time to address some major concerns that they have faced within our Collective. We would like everyone, especially the author, to know how seriously the UVic Pride Collective is about addressing these issues directly.
We are thankful to everyone who shares their experiences — and want to acknowledge that it is not the responsibility of the person who has experienced harm to address these issues — it is ours.
As a Collective: we are actively discussing the ways in which we can take accountability for the concerns brought forward. We are all capable of causing harm, and while we are an advocacy group, we are not absolved of this. We are in a growth and learning process and these issues are ones that we need to actively work on.
As a Collective: we are discussing the ways in which we can take accountability for these concerns. We recognize that changes need to be made and will be engaging in a process of accountability by asking outside groups and organizations for help. Part of this process is going to be engaging in trainings and dialogues around consent, elitism, and inclusivity. We hope this will guide us through our ongoing learning process.
We are sorry for the harm we have caused. We are taking these issues very seriously and are committed to being accountable and responsible for making the necessary changes to make our Collective and Pride Centre a safer, inclusive, and accessible environment.
Signed,
UVic Pride Coordinating Committee
