Tomorrow is Pink Shirt Day. It falls on the last Wednesday of February every year and it is a day to celebrate those who fight bullying, promote kindness and tolerance. It also raises awareness that bullying continues to exist everywhere. This year’s theme is Sprinkle Kindness.
The story behind Pink Shirt Day is a beautiful one that originates in 2007 on Canada’s East Coast in Berwick, Nova Scotia. On the first day of school, a grade 9 student was teased and bullied for wearing a pink shirt. Two of his classmates, David Shepherd and Travis Price, were not impressed and decided to stand up to the bullies and show their solidarity with their fellow student. They bought and handed out fifty pink tank tops to other students the next day.
And just like that, the bullying stopped. In recognition of their accomplishment, Nova Scotia proclaimed the second Thursday of September to be “Stand Up Against Bullying Day.” The Governor General awarded those two brave students the Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Decorations – Civil Division in 2016.
Their actions fuelled a national anti-bullying movement culminating in today’s current February Pink Shirt Day. B.C. is especially active on this important issue.
For Pink Shirt Day, 2026, Community Living British Columbia, together with community partners in Victoria, are screening the award-winning movie A Place Where I Belong — a powerful documentary that follows six 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities as they navigate identity and love.
As the individuals find safety and solidarity through connections (with Vancouver-based Connecting Queer Communities,) their stories—ranging from self-advocacy and family rejection to the joy of coming out — are unique, universal and deeply moving.
The award-winning film premiered at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival and now comes to Victoria for Pink Shirt Day.
The film screening will take place at:
CINECENTA, Student Union Building,
University of Victoria
3800 Finnerty Rd,
Victoria, British Columbia
7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
A panel discussion featuring the film’s director, Rheanna Toy, and featured members of the film will follow.
Admission is by donation.
The evening is being hosted by Community Living British Columbia, an organization (now Crown Corporation)created in 2005 by a grassroots movement of self-advocates, families, service providers and other community and government partners who called for choice and change for people with developmental disabilities. The screening is also supported by community partners in Victoria.
For more information, contact: aplacewhereibelongvictoria@gmail.com
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