54
TUKTOYAKTUK’S FIRST
RAINBOW DAYS
WORDS BY ALLYSA FELIX PHOTOS BY JANA KASPAROVA
When I was sailing through the Arctic in the summer on a Students on Ice expedition, I was deeply inspired by all of the amazing people on that ship. There are so many people to be inspired by on such a trip, but this particular moment in time I was inspired by two wonderful ladies looking to make a change. I saw a presentation about explaining the alphabet soup that is LGBTQI2S+ and I thought, “Hey I want to do that back home.” I didn’t know how I was going to, but then it was announced there was an opportunity to apply for a grant to do stuff like this. Change is especially hard in the Arctic because we are so set in our ways. Let’s talk about change for one minute. It’s often said that change is the only constant in life. Yet humans are evolutionarily predisposed to resist change because of the risk associated with it. Despite this resistance to change, it is more important than ever. Mother Teresa once said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” In today’s society, the pace of change is immensely faster, and it will only continue to accelerate. People fear change. Everyone does, but change is inevitable. If we are to grow as a species, it must happen and must happen now. When I thought of this I didn’t know it would turn into something this grand. I was honestly doubtful when I was planning this. I was nervous of the feedback. I thought no one would come or support me. But if you think something is right, you must follow your heart of hearts. I understand that nothing might change right away. In fact, change might only be felt 20 years from now. But if I didn’t do this, who would? Because there are LGBTQI2S+ people in the Arctic, in the reservations, in the tiny towns, and they must be heard.
Chelsea Thacker, Thomas Gagnon-van Leeuwen and Allysa Felix
