Pride is a time for community and celebration of self, and NAIT typically celebrates Pride Week in March with a number of events: drag shows, pride bingo, educational events and specifically — the pride walk.
Previously an annual event, the pride walk consisted of participants meeting up in a group and then marching around NAIT’s campus, sharing a message of belonging with the students of NAIT. The last instance of the pride walk was 2019, and for reasons unknown, NAIT no longer hosted the event after that year. But now, there is new life for the pride walk.
NAITSA has taken over the event and will be hosting a Pride Walk for NAIT’s 2026 Pride Week on March 9. Alex Dugdale-Horselenberg, NAITSA’s campus life events manager, believes it’s an “important event for students.”
“It gets everybody moving in unison together towards a common goal, so we’re all showing support for the community and coming out and having fun.”
Despite the change in organizers, the purpose of the event remains the same.
“I don’t think it necessarily matters who’s doing it just as long as the students and the staff feel represented. I think as long as that’s on campus, no matter whose name is behind it, it’s all with one goal,” says Dugdale-Horselenberg.
Students and staff can participate in NAITSA’s first pride walk on March 9th to kick off the annual pride week. After the walk, another pride week event will take place in CAT: the annual NAITSA pride drag show. All of the pride week events, including pride walk, can be found on NAITSA’s Ooks Life page.
Feature image via NAITSA
