A message from the Co-Chairs
We are thrilled to share with you “Well Noted”, an exciting new project created to honour our community heroes. At select The Well establishments, one wall will be dedicated to celebrating our community’s finest and sharing their stories. The project will be ongoing, and new honourees will be added yearly. For many decades, LGBTQ2+ bars and clubs have been so much more than a place to have a drink and meet with friends. They have served as community centres, political and fundraising hubs, wellness clinics, soap boxes, theatres, pulpits, wedding chapels and even as funeral homes. And for many, our clubs were the first places where queer folks truly felt safe, and where they could truly be themselves. It’s only fitting then that as of today, The Well will play a role in commemorating our history and remembering those who helped create it. Today, we unveil the inaugural Well Noted honourees at The Well, Hamilton. Now, the work falls to you, our community. Today’s group of honourees is just the beginning; nominate someone from anywhere in Canada who inspires you, share their story and shine a spotlight on their legacy.
“A community that does not know where it comes from and stands on, indeed does not know where its going.”
– City/County Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez, Queen Mother I of the Americas
A message from Nicole Murray Ramirez, Queen Mother I of the Americas
LGBTQ people have been in North America even before the European explorers. We were the “two spirited” people of the First Nation and Native tribes. We of the LGBTQ people of North America have a long history of contributing to the great Nations of Canada and the United States and there are many outstanding LGBTQ citizens and trailblazers and heroes in our two great Nations.
The International Imperial Court System was founded in 1965 and is one of the oldest LGBTQ organizations in the world with now 70 City Chapters in Canada, U.S.A., and Mexico.I want to sincerely thank and acknowledge our King Father II Elect John Ribson for wanting to also have such a wall in Canada. We established an American National LGBTQ Wall of Honour at the Historic Stonewall Inn in New York with our co-sponsors, the National LGBTQ Task Force. His leadership and that of Empress Drew made this historic dedication possible. God Bless the great Nation of Canada and its people.
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