Ivey celebrates with the community in 2025 London Pride Parade

Celebrating Pride hit closer to home for the group of students and staff representing Ivey in this year’s London Pride Parade. 

On July 20, the Parade commenced at the Western Fair District where nearly 4,000 participants gathered for a two-hour walk through the city’s downtown core. Diverse allies of all ages filled the streets with rainbows. For Vince Pham, HBA ’26, Vice President of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (VP EDI) for the HBA Association (HBAA), this display represented positive social change. 

“It captured hope for what the future looks like and also how much London’s Pride scene has grown,” said Pham. 

Members of the Ivey Pride Student Club and broader School community were a part of the vibrant march that finished near Victoria Park. The Parade was held on the last day of London’s 10-day festival, concluding with an afternoon of festivities and closing remarks.

Feeling closer together  

In previous years, Ivey has participated in Toronto's Pride Parade. Pham, who was born and raised in London, Ontario, felt a strong connection to this year’s ceremony. 

“Celebrating in London felt a lot more personal. The roads were smaller, so everyone felt a lot closer together; and because the participating organizations and community groups were local, I knew them all,” said Pham. 

With Western University's Society of Graduate Students (SOGS) and the University Students’ Council (USC) participating in the event, Pham said the group felt supported. 

“[Ivey and Western's allyship] shows the connectedness of the 2SLGBTQ+ community here in London,” said Pham. “It made me extra proud to see how far this community – which I grew up in and Ivey is a part of – has come.” 

The Parade was also a unique opportunity for HBA and MBA students to connect while walking the route as Ivey representatives. 

Coming from Vancouver, B.C., Quoc Lap Nguyen, MBA ’26, Vice President of the MBA Pride Club, has been involved in celebrations much larger than London. 

“The community is much more close-knit here, and I feel that my contribution makes a more significant impact,” said Nguyen. 

Excited to experience Pride in a new city after having just moved to London for school, Taylor Ellerbeck, MBA ’26, President of the MBA Pride Club, said the Parade’s “amazing” energy was infectious, whether you were watching from the streets, or marching amongst the crowd.   

“London did a great job organizing the event with lots of floats and participants in the parade and a strong turnout from the community,” said Ellerbeck. 

Representation matters 

Aaron Yau, HBA ’26, President of the Ivey Pride Student Club, reflected on how involvement with the Club has shaped the student experience. By organizing events, mentorship networks, and building an inclusive community, Yau has been able to advocate for meaningful change as a leader.  

“When I was younger, I struggled a lot with finding role models to look up to and positive channels to learn more about my sexuality,” said Yau. “Because of this, I wanted to create a platform for other students like me to have a safe space to learn more about themselves and grow from it.” 

For Pham, representing Ivey at Pride highlighted a journey of growth, both personally and within the broader community.  

“It meant a lot to me, not just as the current Vince Pham who is VP of EDI, but also to my grade seven self who was just figuring things out and didn’t know my place in the world,” said Pham. “Representing Ivey at this event was a reminder of how far the 2SLGBTQ+ community has come and also how far I have come – and how important it is to continue to make the world a more inclusive place."