Toronto — With powerful chants, unapologetic visibility, and boundless joy, Hope for Refugees International (HRI) made an unforgettable mark at this year’s Toronto Pride Parade 2025, affirming their place as a beacon of hope, resistance, and community for queer refugees and newcomers across Canada.
A sea of rainbow flags, vibrant placards, and proud Black, queer, and refugee bodies filled the streets as HRI members, staff, board members, volunteers, and allies marched through downtown Toronto. The grassroots, Black-led, refugee-centered, and gender-diverse organization declared their presence boldly and joyfully — a powerful testament to survival and solidarity.
“Today was absolutely magical!” read a statement from HRI’s official platform. “We marched with queer joy, with refugee pride, and with unshakable resilience. We celebrated our existence as queer refugees and newcomers — loud, visible, and unapologetic.” By Director Patrick
HRI’s participation this year wasn’t just about celebration — it was a march of remembrance and resistance. Behind every drumbeat and chant was the story of someone who fled persecution, someone who faced hatred and violence simply for being who they are. And yet, with courage and conviction, they rose — marching for their lives and their futures in a country that gave them refuge.
Slogans like:
💥 “REFUGEE. QUEER. PROUD. UNSTOPPABLE!”
✊🏿 “NO BORDERS, NO FEAR — WE’RE QUEER AND WE’RE HERE!”
🌍 “FROM SURVIVAL TO PRIDE — WE MARCH FOR OUR LIVES!”
🖤 “BLACK, QUEER, REFUGEE — LOUD AND FREE!”
🔥 “HOPE FOR REFUGEES, POWER FOR OUR PEOPLE!”
💫 “WE EXIST. WE RESIST. WE RISE WITH PRIDE!”
…were not just chants — they were declarations of existence, empowerment, and defiance.
For many HRI members, this moment was deeply personal. It was the first time they could march in public without fear. It was the first time they were seen — not as victims or statistics, but as proud human beings, as contributors to Canada’s rich diversity, and as leaders of change.
“Canada welcomed us — and today, we walked boldly in that freedom,” said one member, draped in the trans flag, eyes filled with tears. “We’re not hiding anymore. We’re here. We matter. And we’re building a future where all of us can thrive.”
As Pride Month continues, Hope for Refugees International reminds the nation and the world that the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and refugee justice are deeply interconnected. In their presence, there is healing. In their voices, there is power. And in their movement, there is hope.
Hope for Refugees International continues to advocate for inclusive policies, access to support services, and protection of queer and trans refugees in Canada and beyond. Today, they didn’t just march — they made history.
