A Port Moody resident is one of four people connected to Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) to receive a King Charles III coronation medal.
Trina Prince, the manager of culture and wellbeing in KPU’s Office of Equity and Inclusive Communities, was chosen by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon in recognition of their work in challenging societal norms and gender-based discrimination.
“Creating safer spaces for people is one of my biggest goals in life,” said Prince in a KPU news release sent to the Tri-City News.
“I want folks to be able to walk into a space and feel like they belong and feel like they can find joy and connection in that space. To notice that it's being recognized and that it's actually making a bit of a change, even if it's very small, is so important.”
According to their KPU biography, Prince (pronouns they/them) is described as “a trans, non-binary, White, disabled, neurodivergent fat person with German and Polish ancestry” who supports 2SLGBTQIA+, reconciliation, accessibility, mental health and sexual assault awareness.
Prince also advocates for ending gender-based violence and they recently finished a seven-year term as the board chairperson for the Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre.
The other KPU medal recipients are Chancellor Kwuntiltunaat Kim Baird, former chancellor Dr. Arvinder Bubber and Hong Yan Melody Pan, a community volunteer and Indigenous outreach worker who has her bachelor’s degree in nursing from KPU.
The King Charles III medal honours Canadians who have made a significant contribution to their community and/or country.
Coquitlam’s Harinder Mahil and Farhad “Fred” Soofi of Port Moody were also bestowed the inaugural honour.
Mahil "for decades of service fighting for immigrant and human rights, and for co-founding the Canadian Farmworkers Union,” and Soofi “for philanthropy and volunteerism in all aspects of his community, including settling and welcoming refugees from Turkiye and Ukraine."
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