A handmade quilt created with contributions from staff members across Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), is becoming a lasting symbol of belonging, creativity and inclusion after making its debut at this year's Kingston Pride Parade.
The project was led by the Pride Staff Community Group, with employees, physicians, learners and volunteers invited to decorate fabric squares during Pride Month events, including at information tables and Coffee Klatches. The individual pieces were then stitched together into a quilt that was carried during the parade by members of the Pride Staff Community Group.
The idea grew from the Pride group's regular Coffee Klatch gatherings, where organizers often offer creative activities to encourage conversation and connection.
"We thought this year it might be fun to have people decorate a square with fabric markers that then could be turned into a Pride quilt,” says Marsha DaSilva, a Pride Staff Community Group member. “People were extremely creative and did a lovely job."
More than 25 people put their creativity to work, transforming blank squares into meaningful expressions of love, identity and connection, with additional squares completed throughout the week at Pride events across KHSC's sites.
For Kelly Hamlet, the Pride Staff Community Group member who assembled the quilt, the project combined her personal passion for crafting with an opportunity to celebrate the organization's LGBTQ2IA+ community.
Organizers say the project also highlights the important role creativity has played throughout the history of the Pride movement.
"Art is definitely an important part of the Pride movement," explains Spencer Stevenson, co-chair of the Pride Staff Community Group. "Art is very intrinsic to resistance, and Pride started through resistance. It's another way to celebrate it by expressing ourselves, as well as honouring where we started, acknowledging how far we've come, and recognizing what still needs to be done."
The quilt quickly became a focal point during the Kingston Pride Parade, drawing attention from spectators along the route.
“This is the first year Kingston Health Sciences Centre has had this level of visibility and such an incredible response from the community," says Liv Groleau, a Pride Staff Community Group member. "People were stepping into the parade route asking if we could pause for just a moment so they could take a photo of the quilt. Seeing that kind of excitement and support was really special."
Among the dozens of colourful squares, one message carries particular meaning for Groleau.
"The square that means the most to me is the one that says, 'I came out at work,'" she shares. "Not everyone feels they can come out in their workplace, but I felt safe doing so at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. That message is something I'll always carry with me."
For members of the Pride Staff Community Group, the quilt represents more than a creative project, it serves as a visible symbol of belonging and inclusion at KHSC.
"Our hospitals have a vibrant queer community, and there are so many more of us," says Groleau. "I hope our Pride Staff Community Group continues to grow over time and that more people feel comfortable joining us. It's a welcoming community, and I'd love for others to know there is a place for them here."
