On Tuesday night the City’s IDAHOBIT Rainbow Procession project took out the Connecting Communities award at the LG Professionals WA Honour Awards for its proactive approach to creating vibrant, connected communities.
The pilot project, which aimed to improve the mental health and social wellbeing of young LGBTQIA+ people in Subiaco, saw two local LGBTQIA+ support groups at Perth Modern School and Shenton College come together to plan a community event for this year’s International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on 17 May.
The result was a colourful procession that wound its way through the streets of Subiaco, featuring rainbow umbrellas and choreographed drone photography.
After the event, all the participants reported feeling happier, safer and more connected.
One participant said, “My favourite part of the Rainbow Procession was getting to hang out with other queer students from different schools. Meeting the other queer students reminded me that I’m not alone. That I’m not a freak.”
Another student said, “Walking down Rokeby Road with the rainbow umbrellas was my favourite part. It showed the community that we exist. And it was really nice to see so many people smiling at us. I was expecting more weird looks to be honest.”
CEO Colin Cameron said it was an honour to receive recognition for this community development project.
“This award recognises the profoundly positive impact the IDAHOBIT Rainbow Procession project has had on the mental wellbeing of young LGBTQIA+ people in the area,” he said.
“The success of this initiative has told us that there’s an appetite for more projects that create social connections through participation in the arts – and we’re hoping to build on this in the future.”
