Rivet was born and raised in Fort-Coulonge and hopes that being the president will allow him to bring his healthcare experience to the table to help foster inclusivity and build acceptance for the LGBTQIA+ community in the region.

One thing lead to another and going to an open meeting to show his support, Rivet said the position fell in his lap. “I’m not just somebody who’s coming from the city who wants the pride of being the president. This is all new. I wasn’t even expecting to be president this year, by any means. But, my field is in healthcare and that’s what I’m bringing to it. So just, again, bringing in those resources, having that connection between the public and the healthcare system,” he said.

Along with two other board members, Garrett Vekaryasz and Julianne Dooks, the group is working towards . . .

officially registering as a not-for-profit and a major component was assembling board members. Although they are a small board, Rivet said they decided to stay small rather than delay the process of registration. They hope to see involvement from the community and support along the way.

“We need to start somewhere and we need to get funding and to get our name through and stuff on different web public websites. We need those registration numbers,” said Rivet.

The group’s priority is to foster an inclusive community where minority groups are being represented and have access to resources around LGBTQIA+, he said. Asking for help can be intimidating when it’s a big establishment like a hospital or a clinic and Pride Pontiac hopes this non-for-profit will be the liaison between the CLSCs, schools and other organizations, by creating a pool of valuable resources they can recommend to people, he said.

Their focus now is also to get their name out there, build trust with the community and help the organization get well established so community members know they exist. “The next thing is just to do small group events whether they help us fund the group or not, that’s not really a priority at the moment. We’re still just trying to get well established,” said Rivet.

For Rivet, taking on this role allows him to be a representative and to be able to openly talk about concerns in the LGBTQ+ community because it shouldn’t have to be taboo, he said. It’s not about popularity or status, for him it’s about showing up for his community and showing people that it’s okay to be queer.

“Nobody needs to be in the closet. Nobody needs to feel bad. And that was my main goal was just to show up and talk about it and do these little events and stuff and just show up and be present,” he said.

Their short-term goal is to host the Pontiac Pride event again next year, it is not such a party rather it’s about creating an inclusive space for everyone to come and have a good time, he said. One of their long-term goals is to have more board members and possibly have representatives from every community in the Pontiac. “We just want to be visible in the community. We want people to turn to us if they need help.”

For more information or to reach the group visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/groups/381818100191924

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!