Participants walking to Galt Gardens in Lethbridge. (Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

Promoting equality: 11th annual Citizen Walk About held in Lethbridge

Sep 10, 2021 | 12:14 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Members of the community banded together Friday for the 11^th annual Citizen Walk About.

The event saw participants walk from Lethbridge City Hall to Galt Gardens, in support of people with disabilities and to promote equality.

The event was hosted by the South Region Self Advocacy Network (SRSAN), in partnership with the Southern Alberta Individualized Planning Association (SAIPA) – which provides resources and support to SRSAN, and the Southern Alberta Community Living Association (SACLA).

Anna Olson with SAIPA said every year, the event helps showcase the importance of being respectful to everyone.

“When you start eliminating people out of a community, you really miss how vibrant a community can really be.”

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She added that when it comes to supporting those with disabilities, “it’s just, you know, being there and seeing people as equal.”

“Quite often, people with disabilities are viewed as not equal, not capable and don’t have the ability to do things, but this whole walk is actually organized by people with disabilities.”

OUR DISABILITY JOURNEY

The theme for this year’s walk was ‘Our Disability Journey’.

Olson said that’s representative of how a community can come together to support one another, adding the theme is “also representative of Leilani Muir.”

“Leilani Muir was a woman here in Alberta who was institutionalized back in the day and she was sterilized without knowing. She didn’t realize that she had actually been sterilized until years later, she actually got married and wanted to have a family.”

“When she couldn’t have a family, she investigated why and found out she had actually been sterilized.”

Muir was the first person to file a successful lawsuit against the Government of Alberta for wrongful sterilization under the Sexual Sterilization Act of Alberta.

Olson said, “it opened up lots of opportunities for people with disabilities to be recognized as equal people in life and other things that people with disabilities weren’t allowed, it actually helped with that. Many others who had actually been sterilized in the institutions were able to receive remuneration for the sterilization that happened.”

The Citizen Walk About featured speeches, story-sharing, a barbeque at Galt Gardens, music and a performance from Indigenous dancers. Proceeds donated to the event will help support SRSAN and other advocacy initiatives.

More details about the event and its history in the community can be found here.