June 5, 2025 – The City of St. Catharines today unveiled a special exhibit, titled “Pride
in Every Step, Love in Every Action,” on the front steps of City Hall featuring the words
of local 2SLGBTQI+ Poet Victoria Ashleigh Rose.
“Pride in Every Step, Love in Every Action” marks the City’s first Poetry Callout, as well
as its inaugural Artist Callout specifically to 2SLGBTQI+ communities.
The City is proud to offer 2SLGBTQI+ Poets the opportunity, and the prominent art
installation space at City Hall, to honour their lived experience, and to affirm that queer
stories deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated in our civic spaces, said Mayor Mat
Siscoe.
“When we make space for more diverse voices, we open the door to a richer, more
inclusive picture of who we are as a community,” said Mayor Siscoe. “Projects such as
this one help challenge assumptions, build empathy, and open up conversations.”
Rose shared a live reading of her poem, titled “To Love with Pride,” which celebrates
love, identity, and community through poetry, during the unveiling event on the
afternoon of June 5.
Rose’s “To Love with Pride” poem, printed on vinyl and installed alongside the Two
Spirit Intersex Inclusive Pride Flag, will be on display on the City Hall front steps this
summer.
The City’s 2SLGBTQI+ Poets Callout asked poets to submit writing that focused on the
transformative power of action, language, love and acceptance.
"St. Catharines Cultural Services is proud to support bringing local 2SLGBTQI+ Poet
Victoria Ashleigh Rose’s powerful words to the steps of City Hall – offering a visible
reflection of the City’s commitment to the arts, and to equity and inclusion,” said Jessica
Wilson, the City’s Culture Supervisor.
Rose is a Brock University student and longtime St. Catharines resident who has been
active in the Niagara poetry scene since 2015. She is an organizer with the St.
Catharines Poetry Slam and serves as Community Outreach Coordinator for several
Brock student groups, including the Creative Writing Club and the Poetry Club.
Rose’s debut poetry collection, “A Philosophy of Clichés,” reflects on her experiences as
a queer, neurodivergent teen navigating identity, first love, and healing from a complex
upbringing. Through her work, Rose explores themes of self-love, anxiety, disability,
and the journey toward self-understanding.
“In times when equity and inclusion continue to be challenged, visible acts of allyship
with 2SLGBTQI+ communities are more important than ever,” said Shannon McHugh,
the City’s Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “This special exhibit is not just a
celebration of Pride, it’s a statement of solidarity, a reminder that love, identity, and
belonging deserve to be seen and supported every day".
A selection committee comprised of members of the City’s 2SLGBTQI+ and Arts and
Culture Advisory Committees, chose Rose’s entry as the winning poem among 15
poetry submissions. City staff consulted with its 2SLGBTQI+ Advisory Committee and
the Niagara Regional Native Centre on flag choice to ensure an inclusive and reflective
design.
The City Hall exhibits program is coordinated through the Cultural Services Office at the
City’s Community, Recreation and Culture Services department.