Michelle has been living in the Bow Valley since December 2023, and prior to that, lived in Squamish, BC for nine years, though she was born on the other side of the country in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Her interest in aging studies began when she worked as a research assistant for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2011. In her interactions with hundreds of study participants throughout this job, she gained a strong sense of curiosity for the perspectives of lived experiences, particularly for marginalized communities. In 2018, she graduated with a Masters degree in Gerontology at SFU, focusing on Healthy Aging, and including aspects of individual resilience, self-determination, and life-course theory. The intersectionality of aging for members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community has always piqued her interest as she deeply understands the range of contexts which can affect important aspects of life for individuals. She is the Founder of Project Pride: a series of indoor and outdoor rock climbing events in BC and Alberta which aims to create safe spaces, develop climbing skills, and build community.

Cece is an asexual Asian trans lesbian who discovered her identity later in life. A third-culture Chinese Canadian born to immigrant parents from Hong Kong, Cece grew up in a cultural framework that prioritized patriarchy and heterogeneity, which made it difficult to express her true self. It wasn’t until age 42 that she was able to come out and begin her transition, embracing her identity as a trans woman of Asian descent.

As someone who is autistic, ADHD, and living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Cece often faces challenges in accessing queer community spaces due to mobility limitations and sensory overwhelm. Additionally, navigating predominantly white queer spaces as a person of color can be isolating, compounding her sense of being "the only one." Despite these obstacles, Cece is deeply committed to creating positive representation for Asian trans individuals. She aims to show that it’s possible to live and love authentically later in life, offering hope to both the next generation and those who grew up feeling unseen.

Vanessa is a 67-year-old trans woman who began her transition at the age of 65. Her journey offers a unique perspective on transitioning later in life, from the challenges of dating as an older trans woman to navigating spaces where she’s often the oldest person in the room. Venessa candidly shares how her age impacts decisions about gender-affirming surgeries, particularly the difficulty of long wait times while growing older. Despite these challenges, she celebrates the profound joy of living authentically after decades of hiding her true self.

Through her experiences with HRT, Venessa reflects on what it feels like to go through a second puberty in her 60s and how she is learning to relate to other women as a woman. She also explores her journey into lesbian culture and the exhilaration of milestones she never thought she’d experience, like attending a prom as herself at age 67. Venessa’s story is one of resilience, liberation, and the power of embracing who you are at any stage of life.
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Noah is a white settler trans man who has lived seasonally in the Bow Valley since 2020. Alongside his own lived experiences, he has also worked extensively with mental health, 2SLGBTQIA+ and disability non profits. These experiences and his background in social work have made him deeply knowledgeable and passionate about the intersection of mental health, disability and queerness.

Julie identifies as a lesbian and grew up in Edmonton before moving to the Bow Valley in 2020. A recent high school graduate currently on a gap year, Julie was recently accepted into the University of Prince Edward Island, where they plan to major in Diversity and Social Justice Studies. They are also looking forward to traveling in the coming months.

Julie began speaking publicly about Pride a year ago, starting with a spoken word poem about their connection to the community. Most recently, they spoke at the Solidarity Walk, emphasizing the importance of safe spaces for individuals to explore and express their identities. Julie believes that having a space to feel accepted is crucial to building the confidence to come out and fully embrace who you are. Finding and helping create these spaces has given Julie the strength to live authentically and inspire others to do the same.