Here are Capital Pride's 2018 parade marshals

(Via Capital Pride)

Ottawa – Capital Pride announced its 2018 Grand Marshal, International Marshal and Youth Marshal for the Capital Pride parade taking place August 26, 2018. This follows a public nomination process that invited individuals and community organizations to nominate people who represent the LGBTQ2+ community in extraordinary ways and embody this year’s theme CommUNITY.

“The Capital Pride 2018 parade marshals were chosen for the leadership and commitment to community building,” said Toby Whitfield, Capital Pride Chairperson. “They are leaders who work tirelessly to improve the well-being of the LGBTQ2+ community both locally and globally, and we are proud to have them with us this year.”

The 2018 grand marshals are:

• Grand Marshal China Doll is an Ottawa drag icon. Known for her community work and love of karaoke, China Doll embodies Capital Pride’s values of of creating opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people.

China Doll, grand marshall of the 2018 Capital Pride parade. (via Capital Pride)

• Youth Marshal: SAEFTY (Support And Education For Trans Youth) is a youth organization for and run by trans, two-spirit and gender diverse youth in the National Capital Region.
• International Marshal: Bruce Richman, Executive Director of Prevention Access Campaign is the founder of the international Undetectable Equals Untransmittable or U=U movement. The movement is dismantling HIV stigma and incentivizing treatment uptake and adherence by raising awareness that individuals with HIV viral loads at an undetectable level cannot sexually transmit HIV.

Bruce Richman, international marshal of Capital Pride parade 2018. (via Capital Pride)

Each year, Capital Pride honours local, national and/or international LGBTQ2+ leaders as marshals of the Capital Pride parade. Recent marshals have included Candy Palmater, Charlie Lowthian-Rickert, Laith Ashley and Chrystos. This year’s marshals will participate in events throughout the Capital Pride Festival including the Flag Raising, Human Rights Vigil and Pride Pageant and will lead the Capital Pride Parade on Sunday, August 26.