Ron Byers
Ron Byers is a community leader and storyteller. Ron has been actively involved in the 2SLGBTQ+ community for over 50 years.
Historian, community leader, and storyteller, Ron Byers has dedicated over 50 years to the 2SLGBTQ community in Edmonton. His extensive resume of community service spans decades of work in Edmonton’s non-profit sector.
As a founding member of Alberta’s oldest 2SLGBTQ+ organization, the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose, Ron has volunteered and served as a board member for several decades. He acted as Master of Ceremonies for the Annual Coronation Ball for 25 years and served as Emperor 25 and Co-Emperor 29.
His contributions earned him the 1979 John DeSmit Memorial Citizen of the Year Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
Ron’s volunteer work includes the Pride Centre of Edmonton, HIV Edmonton, Pride Edmonton, the Edmonton Heritage Council, and the Queer and Trans Health Collective.
Recently, he was awarded the Community Leadership Award for his work with HIV Edmonton. He also created Pride Edmonton, an online resource for Pride events, and has been a consultant to Explore Edmonton, promoting 2SLGBTQ+ content.
Ron has been involved in preserving Edmonton’s queer history through the Rainbow Story Hub Foundation and by securing funding for an additional archivist at the City of Edmonton Archives. His work ensures that more of Edmonton’s queer history is accessible to researchers and the community.
Ron Byers’ extensive contributions have significantly shaped Edmonton’s 2SLGBTQ+ landscape. His passion for community service and historical preservation is truly commendable.
We are privileged to recognize Ron and celebrate his lasting legacy as we welcome him to the Canada Wall of Honour